Roots and Origins
by TheGinjaNinja
Summary: He reached down for his sword and shouldered off his shield too run his arm through the leather straps. The soft ring of metal as his sword came from its sheath seemed to rubble and echo loudly through the air. Eve thing was still, frozen for a perfect moment before hell came crashing through the trees like thunder.
1. Chapter 1 Dalish

**My first fanfiction! Please rate and review, and please be gentle! lol**

Chapter One: Dalish

The arrow whistled as Lyna sent it slicing through the air to pierce the throat of another of the strange creatures that had begun to attack them as they made their way through the thick undergrowth of the forest.

"By the Creators! What are those things?" Fenarel asked as the last one fell to another arrow.

"I don't know." Lyna walked over and knelled down to pull the arrow from the creature's neck, she grimaced as black blood spurted from the wound. She looked down at the thing she had just killed, it was a horrifying creature, its skin was pulled over its skull like face, its mouth was a gaping hole that seemed to have been sliced through its grey flesh, it's eye's where hollow and white void of any iris of pupil.

"They must be darkspawn, the Keeper said the warden where here because they thought there were nearby," Merrill walked up to join them keeping her staff ready.

"It doesn't matter what they are, they die, that's all I need to know." Lyna turned towards the trees the darkspawn had just come through, "The caves through there, we better be careful there could be more of them."

Lyna glanced cautiously through the trees, straining her ears for any noise. The forest was eerily quiet with only the soft rustling of leaves that had fallen early, showing the beginning of autumn, breaking the thick silence.

Lyna stopped suddenly, "There's three more up ahead close to the entrance of the cave, don't sound too big."

The other nodded, Merrill clutching her staff, Fenarel readied his sword and shield, Lyna notched another arrow. Taking a deep breath Lyna shrugged off a bout of nausea, she could feel something scratching the edge of her mind and a crawling sensation rippled over the surface of her skin, she rolled her shoulders to throw the creeping feeling away.

"Are you alright Lyna?" she turned to look at Merrill; she was watching her with furrowed brows.

"I'm fine, these things just stink, come on we have to find Tamlen." She turned and continued to walk in the direction of the cave ignoring the scratching.

Lyna fired the arrow at the first darkspawn before they had noticed them, it pierced through its mismatched armour; it screeched and pulled its sword free, seemingly not bothered by the wood and metal. It ran towards them, its voice cutting through Lyna ears. Two more ran out of the cave at the sound of the screaming they were larger than the one that had attacked them earlier. Lyna quickly fired another two arrows in quick succession at the first darkspawn, Fenarel charged at the second knocking off balance before slashing his sword, the darkspawn recovered quickly swiping it's sword at him, Fenarel threw his shield up in time to block the attack shoving his sword underarm to ram it through its gut. Merrill threw an ice spell at one that had tried to sneak up behind Fenarel; he turned when he felt the cold sweep over his back, crashing his shield in to the hunk of ice shattering the remains.

The last darkspawn ran for Lyna as she fired arrows at it, dogging the first the second hitting it on the left shoulder. She curse as the darkspawn kept running she pulled her Dar'Misu from her belt, spinning to avoid it's dagger, using her bow to strike it across the face, the strong iron bark knocking it off balance before ramming her dagger in to its throat. It made a gurgled scream as blood filled his mouth, she pulled her dagger out and the darkspawn fell to the ground.

"That's the cave," Lyna walked over the dead darkspawn and made her way through the cave, more darkspawn corpse littered the cave.

"Looks like the shem'len here already." Fenarel said as he looked around the cave.

"TAMLEN!" Lyna shouted as she ran in to the cave, "Quick we have to find him."

They ran from room to room searching every corner for Tamlen and killing any darkspawn they came across. As they went deeper in to the ruins the scratching in Lyna mind grew strong, she had begun to hear the whispers of a strange song, at first she thought she was imagining it, when she tried to listen to it, it stopped. The crawling sensation rippled over her skin in waves over and over again, causing her to tremble slightly as her stomach clenched and her head swam.

Clenching her teeth she pushed on towards the last room, Tamlen must be in there, she thought as she came to the large wooden doors. The mirror still stood, untouched in the middle of the room, several bodies of darkspawn surround the small platform it stood upon. A Shem'len and another elf turned when they heard them enter.

The shem'len, Duncan she guessed, he was tall and probably in his early fifties, it was hard to tell with Shem'len. He was wearing white and silver armour, embodied with the symbol of a griffon, his long black hair was pulled back away from his face with small strands hanging close to brown eye; his face was littered with hard lines and a beard. The elven woman was smaller than Lyna, and despite her looking younger than herself, she had bright white hair that curled down to her collar bone. She looked Lyna over carefully with golden amber eyes. Her purple robes skimmed the ground; long sleeves cover her arms to the wrist. A mage Lyna guessed, there was a black wooden staff on a strap on her back, a large purple stone sat at the top. "Duncan it's the elf we found outside the cave a few days ago." She walked and stood beside Duncan as they meet them.

"It is good to see you are well, my name is Duncan and this is Neria." The smaller elf smiled and nodded in greeting, Lyna ignored the gesture not breaking eye contact with the shem'len warden. "I hope your Keeper did not send you to find us?"

"No shem'len we are here to find our brother," she scoffed before walking past them towards the rear of the room, but there was no sign of him. She cursed loudly in elvish clutching her head as the pain seared through skull. She felt someone steady her as she begun to sway, she looked up to find the other elven woman Neria holding her arm.

"Are you okay?" there was an expression of sincere concern on her face.

"I'm fine! I just have to find Tamlen." Lyna pulled her arm free and begun to walk towards the door again. She was angry at herself, angry she had failed to stop Tamlen, angry that he had been left sick in this ruin, angry that she still couldn't find him.

"What happened to your friend?" she looked up to see the shem'len looking at her.

"He was with me in the cave, and he touched it." She motioned he head towards the mirror behind Duncan.

"That is... Unfortunate." Duncan's face fell "The Grey Warden have seen mirror like this before, they're Tevinter in origin, used for communication. Over time they break and become filled with the same taint as the darkspawn. Tamlen must have released it when he touched it, it's what has made you sick and presumably Tamlen as well."

"I know! That's why we have to find him, if he's not in these ruins he must have made his way out, he must be in the forest somewhere." She turned to Merrill and Fenarel, "come on we have to get him back to Keeper Marathari so she can cure him."

"The Keeper cannot cure this sickness, she has used her magic to weaken it you recovery is only temporary, the sickness will eventually worsen." she turned back and shot the warden a furious glare.

"We will find him! I will not abandon him in this place."

"There's nothing we can do for him now, he has been tainted for two days now unaided. It is only through your Keeper magic and your own willpower you did not died. But Tamlen has no chance. Trust me when I say he is gone."

"He can't be! Why is there no body!?" the edges of her vision began to blur but she shook her head, she would not show weakness to a shem'len!

"They would have taken it, they are evil and it is best to leave it at that. I am sorry." He looked back to the elven woman that had been quietly observing the exchange with a sombre expression. "Neria destroy the mirror."

She nodded before pulling a staff from a strap on her back wordlessly sending a bright bolt of energy at the mirror shattering it. A pulse passed through the room as it shattered, no one else seemed to be effected by it, but it shot through Lyna body, her stomach heaved as the crawling sensation rolled through her body. She fell to her knees as she coughed, black bile rose in the throat, down her chin, and across the floor in front of her. She managed a small scream of pain before the world turned black.


	2. Chapter 2 Escape

Chapter Two: Escape

He'd no idea how long he'd been running, branches scraped at his face and clothes as he crashed through the forest. He could hear the distance shouting coming from behind him as he ran through the thick undergrowth. He was glad of the adrenalin rush, without it he wouldn't of made it this far, the adrenalin stopped him from thinking, from remembering the burning of Highever, from the sight of his sister in law and nephew laying in their own blood, of how he left his mother and father to die at the hands of that traitorous bastard Howe, promising to find and protect his sister.

He felt his foot catch under a root of a tree; the air left his lungs as collided hard with the ground and begun to roll and smashed his way down the steep hill. He grunted in pain when he eventually came to a stop, his mabari hound Fang ran to meet him, nuzzling his master's face with his wet nose, crawling his way back to his feet he limped further in to the woods.

He stumbled through the forest till the sky was bleached orange with the rising sun. His exhaustion was catching up with him, his steps where becoming more unsteady, stopping to rest he climbed in to a hollowed out oak tree. It didn't take long for the fade to take him.

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**I know this chapter is a little short but the next chapter is quite long and I'll probably update it a bit quicker. Really I already have the first 12 chapters done but I want to try and keep the updates regular. Please rate and review. Thank you to SnowHelm for his review as well.**


	3. Chapter 3 An Almost Wedding and Many Fun

**I know I said it would be Wednesday before I posted another chapter but I've started on chapter 13 and I couldn't wait, (I'm very impatient) I changed the spelling of Ser Gilmore's name, its pronounced near enough the same (Rare-ri) but I wanted to used the Irish spelling, cause I'm Irish and I think that spelling is more interesting. Please review and let me know how I'm doing!**

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Chapter Three: An Almost Wedding and Many Funerals

Kallian Tabris hadn't been looking forward to her wedding day, marrying a man she did not know, though now as she stood in the hallway of Arl of Denerim estate, her white dress stained with the blood of the guards that had attacked her; she knew this was not the way she had expected the day to go. Her cousin Soris stood beside her, and sword and shield at the ready.

"Where's Nelaros?" she asked glancing around nervously, they had been stealthy enough, though they had left a bloodied path of bodies behind that they had done little to hide. It wouldn't be long until someone noticed and followed it to them. They had to find Shianni and the rest of the women that were take and get out of here.

"He's through here, come on." Soris ran to the door to the right of the corridor, when they opened it they were meet by two guards standing over the prone and bloodied body of Nelaros.

Shock hit her first, she didn't hear what the guards said before drawing their weapons again, everything in Kallian mind seemed to still and a strange white light cleared through her vision, she was only briefly aware of the arch and swing of her arms as they sliced through air and then flesh. She could smell, taste, see and feel the blood but she was not complete aware, everything was detached and when it ended it was sudden and abrupt, leaving her breathless as she became aware of her body again and the strange whiteness left her vision, leaving everything with a slight blue hue, as though she was looking through painted glass.

She turned abruptly, not looking back and her cousin or Nelaros body, leaving the room closing the door tightly behind her. Taking a shuddering breath she glanced sideways as Soris, "Let's find Shianni and get the hell out of here."

The passed through several more corridors avoiding the eyes of staff and guards, they where both covered in enough blood now that they would raise the alarm if they were spotted. They stopped at the top of a small stair case when they heard raised voices coming from down the leading corridor.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" The woman's voice echoed through the halls, it was demanding, authoritative and fill with anger and hate.

"M-my lady C-c-cousland? To what do I owe this pleasure?" it was that bastard Vaughan.

"THERE IS OBVIOUSLY NO PLEASURE IN THIS VISIT! I CAME HERE TO FIND OUT WHY AN ASSASSIN WITH LETTERS FROM HOWE AND DIRECTIONS TO MY PERSONAL CHAMBERS SEALED WITH THE ARL OF DENERIMS SEAL TRIED TO KILL ME IN MY ROOM! AND I ARRIVE HERE TO FIND YOU, YOU SICK BASTARD, ATTACKING WOMEN!" the woman was shrieking the words at the Arl son, her voice growing in volume and venom.

Kallian turned the corner of the hallway to see what was going on, the Arl's son stood against the door frame of the room, face stuck between shock and outrage, the woman in question stood tall, only a few inches shorter than the man in question, wearing full leather armour with leather breaches and high boot that laced up to her knees, her wavy chestnut brown hair fell lose to her shoulders, the expression on her handsome face matched the sound of her voice, filled with hatred and disgust.

The expression on Vaughan face changed to an ugly and smug smirk, "Ah I see Howe failed to do something as simple as hire a half decent assassin. If he managed not to screw up at Highever, all I have to do be rid of you and the Couslands will be no more." The woman was taken over by shock, there was a slight tremble in her hands as she looked at the pitiably excuse of a man.

"What did you say? What plan? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY FAMILY?" The last words where accompanied with the swish of a dagger as she pulled it from her belt and pressed it to the noble's throat. The was the noise of scraping steel and Kallian lifted her daggers and looked round to find it source, three guards where coming from the opposite side of the hallway towards the human woman, she turn quickly pulling small throwing knife from a hidden belt at her thigh and throwing them at the guards, the first one fell dead, the second one getting hit in the shoulder pausing for a second to pull it out, the third kept his charge the woman meeting his sword with her dagger deflecting the blow.

Kallian saw Vaughan reach for the dagger at his back and before she knew she was doing it she had charged at the noble catching him off guard. She drove her dagger through his gut, relishing the shock on his face as she twisted the blade before pulling it out, letting him collapse to the ground.

"Filthy dog" she spat at him before looking up in time too see Soris run a sword through the remaining guard that was attacking the human woman.

"Thank you," she said nodding to both of them "Are you another one of the girls they took?" she asked looking to Kallian.

"Yes, they took me, my cousin and three of my friends," her voice went quieter as she continued; "they killed Nola when she fought."

"I am sorry," the woman's face paled slightly, "thankfully me and my guard where able to interrupt the Arl's son before he could hurt one of your friends, she went with my most trusted man to find the rest of the girls, and I told him to meet me at the servant's entrance." She looked down on the Vaughan body, "If what he says is true, Highever has been over thrown. I must get to Redcliffe and see if I can get a message to my brother and the King at Ostagar to tell them what has happened." She looked up at the two elves again, "come on, we need to get out of here before anyone notices what's happened."

Kallian nodded and they followed the woman back down the set of stairs they had not long left, making their way down through the kitchen to a small door next to the scullery. There they meet Valora, Meri and a very tall red haired human man dressed in splinter mail armour with a small similarly red headed elf that lay curled up in his arms.

"Shianni!" Kallian rushed towards her cousin stopping short to look up at the man carrying her, "What happened to her? What did you do?" her voice and body was shaking a as she spoke, the man's eye widened a little in slight horror.

"N-no no, I didn't do anything, s-s-she fainted after we f-found the girl in the cells." He glanced back at the woman behind her.

"I'm sorry, let me introduce Sir Ruari Gilmore, and I'm Elissa Cousland." Kallian looked at the woman realising she hadn't yet given her name either.

"My name is Kallian Tabris, this is my cousin Soris, my friends Meri and Valora and that my cousin Shianni." She said pointing to each one in turn.

"My Lady, the rest of the guards are running interference in case there is another assassin lying in wait, I asked one of the servants to arrange carriages to Redcliffe, there is a carriage waiting for us just outside the estate."

"Good," she turned to elves, "come with us."

"What?" Soris asked looking dumbfounded while Kallian gapped at the noble.

"I cannot leave you here at the mercy of these animals, come with us to Redcliffe where you will be safe, there will be room in the carriage for you all."

"What about our families?" Meri asked sheepishly.

"We can send for them when we reach Redcliffe if you wish." The elves all nodded in agreement at the plan. "Excellent, Ruari take them to the carriage and meet me and the stables." The red head nodded before leading the elves outside the place to a small gate at the side, used for deliveries, where a large four house carriage was waiting for them. Ruari placed the unconscious Shianni comfortably on the soft set of the compartment before stepping out, helping Soris lift the rest of the women in through the carriage doors.

"We will set off when Lady Cousland and I return, here," He handed in a small bag that clinked as the contents moved, "Health potions in case anyone is injured." With that the carriage door was closed and they were left in silence, Kallian lifted her unconscious cousin head and placed in gentle on her lap. She stroked her hair as she waited for the carriage to begin moving.

It didn't take long for Elissa to reach the stables, she walked over to the kennel at the back letting her mabari Drake out, she dropped down as he ran to meet her, and she hugged him tight running her finger through his fur. He whined and licked her face as she pulled away silent tears falling over her cheeks.

"It's alright, I'm sure there all fine, Howe couldn't even get an assassination attempt right let alone over throw the Cousland's." She gave Drake a weak smile before petting him again; wiping her eyes she stood and began to ready a horse.

"The carriage is ready my Lady." She turned to see Ruari enter the stables.

"Good, pick a horse and let's go meet it, the sooner we get out of here the better."

As she adjusted the straps of the saddle she repeated the mantra in her head, "_They're alright. They're alright. They're alright"_

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** Ho ho! so we have now met five of our Origins stories and a few companions, I'm wondering Who are/were you looking forward to most? Do you have a favourite Origin? **


	4. Arrival

**I've took a bit of liberty with the Elven in this chapter so hopefully isn't too bad. I still haven't finished chapter 13, so I'm breaking my buffer to get this chapter up tonight! I better get some reviews for this! :P lol Special thanks to Snowhelm again for helping with the last chapter.**

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Chapter Four

It took them a little over six days for them to reach Ostagar by horse, Neria could tell that the Dalish woman's sickness was slowly worsening, though she would not let it show, she kept up the insanely quick pace that Duncan set them on. She hardly spoke since the funeral that was held before they left; speaking no more than one or two words if prompted.

As they left the horse with a stable mater and crossed the bridge Neria let her eyes wonder over the stone ruins of Ostagar, stone towers and cracked walls stood across and large stone bridge, soldiers and messengers swarmed around the tents as smoke rose from the fires of the smiths.

She glance across to Lyna, Neria guessed she was no more than eighteen, her scarlet hair was pulled up in to a braided bun, though several strains hung loose from the stress of travelling. Her silver eyes looked around the camp taking in every detail. A large silver tattoo marker her as Dalish decorated her forehead and swirled down to end at the corners of her eyes, the silver stood out against her slightly sun kissed skin. she stiffen at the sight of so many human though despite her illness she stood straight, making her small 5'5 frame seem taller, looking ahead ignoring the eyes that wondered to her tattooed forehead.

Neria was surprised to have the King meet them as the crossed the bridge, she stood in shock as he address them not sure what to say, stumbling over what she hoped was an acceptable greeting for a royal welcome. Lyna was less than courteous, Duncan was happy when the King left to find Loghain and sent them off to find the other warden, Alistair.

As they walked through the camp they passed the mages Neria stopping every once and a while to speak to someone she knew from the tower, while Lyna shot glares to the Templars that watched the mages.

"I need more assan I am running low" Neria jumped at the sound of the other elf's voice, having hardly spoke since the day before her voice was horse from lack of use.

"Sorry?" was the only response Neria's brain could manage to come up with.

"Abelas, I am not good with the common tongue, I need more arrows."

"O, don't worry about it, there's a quartermaster a head, Duncan gave me some money earlier to get some supplies." She handed over a few silvers as they walked over towards the quartermaster.

"You don't seem to like the Templars too much." She stated as they fell in to step together, she had noticed the scowling looks she had thrown a few, as they made their way past the mage tents.

Lyna's face darkened as she scowled and looked back to the ground. "Those shem'alas Templars, they seek to take away our enansal'len because of their fear of magic."

"What does that mean? The elvish, we don't get to learn much about the Dalish in the tower"

"I'm not surprised," she said with a stern expression "I doubt your Chantry would like you learning about those they call heathens. Shem'alas is an insult to humans; enansal'len means blessed child, what we call those born with magic."

"The Dalish consider magic a blessing then?" Neria was slightly confused by this view, she had been told since she was taken to the tower at the age of six that her magic was a curse from the Maker, something evil.

"Of course," The Dalish looked at her slightly taken aback that she was questioning this view. "The Keeper and enansal'len use magic to protect and heal the clan, myself and many of my clan mates would have died…" she left the sentence unfinished as she shook her head, increasing her pace to get away from the topic. Neria slowed, understanding that she needed some distance; she watched the elf approach the quartermaster.

She stopped nearby to listen to a man's failing attempts to woo a female soldier, being unable to hide a small laugh when the woman had threatened to "emasculate him in the most unpleasant way".

"Well you don't look like a soldier" the man turned his attention to Neria with a charming smile.

"No not a soldier, I'm one of the new Grey Warden recruits." She replied smiling back.

"Well, you're not what I expected you to be."

"And what did you expect me to be?" she ask allowing her smile to fall in to a smirk.

"Not and elf anyway, my name is Daveth my fair lady" he extended her hand towards her and bowed slightly make her giggly again.

"Well Sir Daveth my name is Neria," she mocked curtsied before continuing "and I'm afraid I'm not the only elven recruit, Duncan and I came across a Dalish camp on our trip here.."

Neria next words were cut short by the sound of the quartermaster shouting, "OI! You there you stupid elf! Where's my armour! And what in the name of the Maker are you wearing!"

"Uh oh…" Daveth had turned with Neria to watch the scene, Lyna's body had tensed at the human's words and the idiot, not realising his mistake, continued.

"Are you deaf as well as dumb? I'm taking to you knife ears!" In a flash Lyna had grabbed the human by his collar and pinned him down on the work table with her dagger pressed firmly to his throat.

"Shem'alas!Emma ir nea seth'lin!" she spoke the words through gritted teeth.

"I'm s-s-sorry! I'm s-sorry! I didn't-I didn't mean it, I though you where one of the servants!"

"Do I look like a servant to you filthy human, speak to me like that again and I will kill you!" she removed her dagger from his throat and threw him away from her. "And this wouldn't have happened if you learned to treat your servants better." She growled.

"O-of course, I'll remember that," the man straightened himself still looking fearfully at the Dalish women.

"If you're really sorry, I'll be expecting a discount on anything I buy here" she said keeping her voice low and threatening, "The Grey Wardens need all the assistance they can get."

"Is she the other recruit?" Daveth's voice brought her attention away from the amusing sight of the fumbling quartermaster.

"Yes," she laughed "That's Lyna."

"Remind me not to annoy her. Well I better get back to Duncan find out what this whole joining ritual is about." He winked at her before walking away.

Neria joined the Dalish woman as she finished fleecing the quartermaster for as much as she could get, before they made their way up the stairs to the ruins of the old temple where they were to meet the Grey Warden Alistair.

"your glibness does you no credit" the irritated man stood arms crossed looking towards a tall, handsome blonde haired man, amber eyes fighting the urge to roll in to the back of his skull.

"Here I thought we were getting along so well, I was even going to name one of my children after you, the grumpy one."

Neria could barely hide her laughter as the mage scoffed before storming off.

"Don't you love how the blight brings us all together?"

"Yes all the hand holding and singing is just wonderful!" Neria quibbled back.

Lyna stared at the two of them "you are both very strange."

"I can't speak for your friend here, but you wouldn't be the first to say so." He smiled at them before asking "I haven't seen either of you in the camp before; don't suppose you happen be more mages?"

"What the robes and staff not enough of a dead give away?" Neria asked smirking with a raised eye brow.

"Nope never would have guessed it. Wait your Duncan new recruit from the circle, sorry I should have guessed from Duncan's letters."

"Yes I'm Neria and this is another recruit, Lyna, don't worry she's Dalish not a mage, Duncan and I meet her clan on the way here." Lyna nodded her head in greeting watching the human warily.

"What had the mages robes in a twist?" Neria asked.

"Well the Circle is here at the kings request, and of course the Chantry doesn't like it one bit and they just love letting the mages know how unwelcome they are." He twitched nervously scratching the back of his neck looking sheepishly, "Which puts me in a bit of an awkward position. I was training as a Templar before I was recruited."

Lyna stiffened, "Elgar'nan" she glanced sideways to Neria before staring back at the blonde.

"I'm guessing since you're not wearing the skirt, you've giving up the mage friendly activity?" Neria asked give Lyna a quick reassuring smile.

"Yes, was quite happy to leave that behind, almost impossible to run in and the colouring was all wrong." He joked, "Have you meet any of the other recruits yet?"

"I meet Daveth just before we came up, how many are their?"

"Well with you two, that makes four, the others a knight from Redcliff. Come on, it's about time to meet Duncan." The young warden smile as waved her hand asking them to follow. Neria returned the smile as Lyna simple nodded before following.

They meet Duncan at the fire near the Warden Recruits tents. It didn't take long for Duncan to explain what would be involved the next day for the joining preparation, going in to the wilds and collecting darkspawn blood, while trying to find old Grey Warden treaties left behind in the ruins old of a long abandoned Warden outpost.

"For now I want you all to rest, the journey here was rushed and I'm sure you would appreciate a hot meal and a chance to sleep for more than four hours." Duncan gave Lyna a pointed look as he said this.

Lyna stood and watched each one walk away; she shrugged off the crawling sensation that had begun to creep along her skin, and the faint scratching that seemed to claw at the back of her mind. She scowled and shook her head before she began to walk towards the tent food had begun to be served from. Though as she stared down on the slop that the Shem'lens called food she felt her stomach lurch, she swallowed down the bile that rose up in her throat.

It was then she noticed a man being kept in a cage at the far side of the camp, he didn't notice her approach until she was standing in front of him.

"Someone finally comes to talk to the lowly prisoner," he stood as close to his full height in the small metal frame, "Don't suppose you've come to sentence me?"

"I do not know what you mean, but I doubt the shem'len would have one of the Elvhen complete this task."

"I don't suppose you have any kindness in you? All I want is some food and water; they haven't feed me since I was locked up and I'm starving."

"Why where you locked up?"

"I'm a deserter, or so they think, there's no arguing them out of it though armies are funny that way. But when you find someone sneaking around camp at night what else are they supposed to think."

"I'll never understand why shem'len feel the need to imprison everyone," she looked down at her food feeling her stomach heave again, "here take this." She passed the small bowl of strew threw the bars of the cage.

"Thanks" his face light up at the sight of the food, "here take this, it's a key to that chest the tranquil is standing by, that's why I was sneaking around last night. Got one of the mages drunk and stole his key, you might as well have it since I doubt I'll be using it now."

"Ma serannas." Lyna placed the key in the small pouch in her armour.

"Lyna there you are, how are you feeling?" Neria came towards here as she reached the bottom of the steps; she looked concerned when Lyna turned to meet her gaze. "You're very pale.

"Emma Souveri, Ar isala hamin…" her head swam and vision blurred, she was only vaguely aware of the ground colliding with her knees as she fell to the ground.

"Lyna!" Neria rushed and dropped down beside the fallen recruit, her eyes where glossed over and a keen coat of sweat covered her forehead, she was mumbling in elvish, Neria felt herself panic at the sight of the incoherent Dalish. She placed her hand on her forehead and allowed a soft purple glow of healing magic to run through her.

"What happened?" Neria looked up to see Alistair rush down towards them.

"She's sick, that's why she here, Duncan said she had the taint and the joining was the only way to save her, and now her fevers got worse and she just collapsed!" she could feel the hysteria rising in her chest and filling her lungs but she was powerless to stop it.

"It's alright! Calm down, I'll take her to a tent, go tell Duncan what happened and grab another healer." She nodded quickly before rushing to where Duncan would be.

Alistair looked down at the small frame of the Dalish elf, nervously he wrapped his arms under her shoulders and legs, scooping her up quickly making his way to nearby tent, feeling his face burn as the others in the camp turned to watch him carrying the elven woman. He sighed and did his best to ignore the sniggers and cat calls as he entered the tent.

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**So we've finally reach Osatgar and we've meet Alistair! Hopefully by next week I will have chapter 13 and 14 done and if I get on a roll you might get another chapter before Wednesday. Please rate and review.**


	5. Chapter 5 Hair Of The Dog

**So yeah this isn't my favourite chapter that I've written, I kinda just wanted to get the Joining over and done with to be honest, but read and tell me what you all think! (I've finally finished chapter 13 by the way, HaaZaaa!)**

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Chapter Five

A thick mist lay over the wilds and sent a chill down her spine; she has woken up in the camp only hours ago after collapsing the day before. Thanks to the healer Wynne the pounding in her head had stopped and her fever had cooled considerably but Lyna could still feel a dull ache in her muscles, she rolled her shoulders in an attempt to throw the pain away.

Neria was watching her, she knew she still wasn't feeling well, having only collapsed yesterday but Lyna carried on as though nothing had happened. Neria sighed and shook her head as Lyna increased her step, overtaking the blonde Warden.

"Wolves!" The Knight Jory ran ahead with his sword drawn and raised above his head.

"Stop!" Lyna shouted, turning her back on the wolves to stand between them and the knight, she raised her dagger to meet his blade deflecting the blow before kicking him. The man fell back grunting and clutching his stomach where Lyna's foot had hit to drive him back.

Alistair came forward to help the other man up, the rest of the group stood back looking at the wolves warningly they all looked at Lyna in confusion as she turned and knelt down in front of one of the wolves, their confusion was replaced by awe as she began to speak to wolf in soft undertones as she and the wolf bowed their head so their foreheads could touch. The wolves quickly left the small group disappearing in to the undergrowth of the forest.

"You can talk to wolves?!" Lyna turned to look at the Alistair, the Knight throwing her sour looks.

"Not in the way you would see it, it is not so much talking as being able to pass along understanding, it is not an unusual talent among the Dalish." With that she turned and continued the walk through the wilds.

"Well, thanks for the warning." A sharp voice retorted behind her, she turned to see the knight glaring at her.

"You are welcome." Lyna turned away from the knight ignoring his annoyance as Neria, Alistair and Daveth fought to hide their sniggering from him.

They continued uninterrupted through the wilds until they came across an injured solider, Neria healed him as much as she could, not having many lyrium potions with her; it seemed like a bad idea to expend too much mana.

"An entire patrol of season men killed by darkspawn!" Neria looked over to the knight he had paled significantly at the news the solider had given them.

"Calm down Ser Jory, we'll be fine if we're careful." Alistair said in a calm voice.

"Those soldier were careful and they were still over whelmed! How many darkspawn can the five of us slay? A dozen? A hundred? There an entire army in these forests."

"There are darkspawn about, but we're in no danger of walking in to the horde."

"And how do you know that? I'm not a coward but this is foolish and reckless, I think we should go back." Jory's eyes darted around the forest as his fingers twitched.

"Really, cause it's starting to sound like you are?" Neria placed her hands at the side of her hips, looking at the knight, who gifted her with a scowl.

"Gray Warden can sense darkspawn, so I'll be able to give you some warning before they attack." Alistair said quickly to stop any barbed comments that might have started flying between the two.

They made their way quickly through the rest of the forest; Lyna couldn't help but notice they were being followed by a strange looking bird. Neria stopped every once and a while to collect the flowers the kennel master had told her about placing them safely in her pack.

"Darkspawn!" Alistairs voice rang out moments before the creatures came clambering through the trees, Neria called her mana up through her finger tips setting the first few she seen on fire, they screamed out as the smell of burnt darkspawn flesh fill her lungs making her want to gag. The others made quick work of the last darkspawn. As Lyna shot an arrow at the last one a howl sang out nearby, Neria followed her when she ran up the hill, where two darkspawn had surround a young wolf. She quickly notched an arrow killing the first once instantly when it sunk in to its eye socket, the second turned to look at the elf, opening its mouth to scream as it charged, only for it to be frozen in place by Neria's ice spell.

She stashed her bow away as she approached the injured wolf; it had damaged its front left leg but seemed healthy besides. She knelt down and began to comfort the wolf.

"Neria, can you heal the wound?" she asked as she came closer to her.

"Yes I think so," Neria bit her lip, nervous to be so close to a wild animal, she held her hand over the injury as Lyna continued to speak to the wolf. Purple light swirled around Neria's hand as the wound closed, when she was finished she back away slowly from the animal as Lyna said her goodbyes, the both watch as the wolf darted through the wilds.

Daveth came up beside them to the bodies of the recently slain darkspawn, filling the last two vials.

"Well that's one less thing to do." He said smiling at the two women, "how about we find those treaties quick so we can get the hell out of here."

It didn't take long to find the old Warden outpost; they cut their way through the darkspawn they encountered only to find the chest empty.

"Well, well what have we here?" A beautiful human woman with dark hair pulled back from her face with golden amber eyes stepped out of the shadows to meet them, she was wearing very strange and revelling clothing that hung lose over her chest and she had a staff strapped to her back. "Are you vultures I wonder? A scavenger poking amidst a corpse whose bones has long since cleaned? Or merely an intruder, coming to these darkspawn filled wilds of mine in search of easy prey? Well what say you? Scavenger or intruder?"

"Intruder? You talk like you own these wilds." Neria looked at the staff on the woman's back.

"I know them as only one who owned them could." The human woman laughed.

"Be careful she looks Chasind, and that means other maybe nearby." Alistair's eyes darted at the shadows of the ruins looking for any signs of another presence.

"You fear barbarians will swoop down upon you." The woman exclaimed sarcastically.

"Yes, swooping is bad." Alistair matched her sarcastic tone.

"Only an arrogant fool would believe they could own wild lands, the animals know this land far better than you, even if you try to wear their skin to play pretend." The woman turned to look at the Dalish as she spoke.

"I see I did not go unnoticed as I ventured through the wilds." A smirk played across her face that didn't reach her eyes.

"Wait, wait, wait, you mean to tell me you've known we've had a chasind witch following us through the wilds and you didn't think you should mention it?" Alistair asked staring at Lyna slightly taken aback.

She simply shrugged "You did not ask."Neria held back a laugh as the others stared at her mouths agape.

"My name is Neria, we are Grey Warden recruits we came looking for the Grey Warden treaties that were held in that chest" Neria pointed to the cracked chest.

"You may call me Morrigan, though I'm afraid what you seek are here no longer." She said simply.

"Do you know where they are? Or who took them?"

"Yes I do in fact, 'twas my mother in fact."

"Can you take us to her?"Neria asked

"There is a sensible request, I like you."

They made their way quickly to Morrigan's house; Lyna was shocked to findAsha'belannar was Morrigans mother. After receiving the treaties they returned to camp where the preparation for the joining was quickly finished.

Lyna and Neria met with the other recruits and Alistair in the old temple where they had first met the junior Warden, Lyna done her best to ignore the rambling of the jittery shemlen as Neria tried to reassure everyone, their bickering was cut short by the arrival of Duncan.

Everyone stiffened when Duncan finally relieved what the joining involved, drinking darkspawn blood.

"We're going to drink the blood of those creatures?" Ser Jory asked face growing paler than what Lyna thought was possible.

"It is the source of our power, and our victory." Duncan explained.

"Ma nuvenin let's start, I am already tainted and will die regardless I will go first." Lyna stepped forward to stand in front of Duncan, after Alistair spoke a few words she drank from the cup Duncan had handed her. Neria watched and rushed to slow her fall as the Dalish woman fell to the ground, she looked up at Alistair as he knelt down beside them, relief played across his face as he announced she was alive.

Daveth was not so lucky, coughing and gasping in pain as he fell, his eyes rolling to the back of his skull. Jory refused the joining, pulling his sword out to attack Duncan as he approached. As Neria stood looking at the sleeping form of Lyna and the two bodies of the fallen recruits, she heard Duncan call her name. She stepped forward, taking the chalice with shaking hands as she brought it to her lips. The dark liquid burn its way down her throat and filled her sense. There was a loud roar and the vision of a large dragon, it's voice seem to scream at her, the scream filled her head and shot through her bones, she felt them give way as she fell in to darkness.

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**Love the title of this chapter. For those who don't know what it means it's a phase that used to describe when some on is really hung over, they take a drink in the morning of what they where drinking the night before and it's mean to cure their hangover. Sorta of though it was appropriate because the Dalish origin is already sick from the taint but by taking in more of it she's cured.**


	6. Chapter 6 Lady Saves The Knight

**Wasn't sure I would be able to get this chapter up the night due to the complete mess that my week has been, if anyone's looked on my tumblr they'll know why, have to say the interest that I've been getting for this has been a great motivator to try and keep to posting once and week. THANK YOU MY LOYAL FOLLOWERS! So here it is! I'm already working on chapter 15 so hopefully my updates will keep steady enough even with everything I have to do over the next few weeks! Enjoy!**

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Chapter Six

They had been traveling for a day when they had met with bandits, well who they thought where bandits. The make of their weapons and armour meant they were more likely mercenaries.

It had happened when they had begun to set up their makeshift camp after a day's hard traveling. The horses where tired as where the two Highever guards that had been with Lady Cousland during her trip to Denerim.

They had not been difficult to spot in the dimming light of the sun set, one of the small elven girls had spotted them as they approached on the road. Quickly forgetting his weariness Ruari, who had yet to remove his armour, stood quickly equipping his shield and pulling his sword from its sheath. He looked round to see the other guards readying their swords and shields, handing the elven man Soris a lighter shield and sword. Lady Cousland stood with his two daggers ready to strike. He paused when he noticed another figure standing to his left, looking round he noticed that it was the small elven woman Kallian, she stood with two daggers at the ready as the thugs rushed them. Ruari rushed to meet the first one, bashing him off-balance with his shield; he quickly recovered and dogged the follow through of his blade. Steel met steel as he blocked the thug's great sword with his shield, sending a shock wave through his arm. Grunting he pushed back and up causing the other man to step back to stop himself from falling backwards, he quickly thrust his sword forward in to the man's gut.

Not even turning to watch the man's fall he quickly looked round for another opponent, turning when he heard a shout of pain, he noticed the elven woman ducking below another man's sword and shield, slicing his stomach with her left dagger while turning to bury her right in his back.

A scream ran out behind him, twisting quickly he saw Soris standing in front of the unarmed women, fighting with one of the three men that had managed to get around them. He ran back and charged in to the second warrior sending him sprawling to the ground, before twisting and bring his sword down two wards the second. The rouge dogged quickly Ruari having to bring his shield up to protect him from the onslaught of blows.

Noticing movement from the corner of his eye he turned in time to bring his sword up to deflect a blow from the second man who had recovered from being rammed in to by the guard, the distraction allowing the rouge to strike him in the shoulder, between the links of his plate armour.

He grunted and pushed him back with his shield stepping back to make it harder for them to flank him. They renewed attack of both men had him on the defensive, blocking and deflecting strike after strike. His legs and arms were burning from the strain of the weight of his heavy armour and the force of the blow his was blocking. He felt the rouges dagger cut through the weakened link of his gauntlet, cutting in to his skin, before the rouge jumped out of reach of his sword. His shield arm dropped slightly and the warrior raised his sword to deliver a final strike, Ruari's heart thumped in his chest as his watched the sword being raised, he quickly threw his sword up to block bracing for the impact, but it never came. He stood transfixed as the warrior dropped his sword and blood spurted from his mouth as he crumpled to the ground.

Kallian stood where the warrior once had, giving the rouge no time to recover from the shock, her right dagger flew through the air embedding itself in to his chest.

"Are you alright?" Kallian stooped down beside him as he grunted while struggling to his feet.

"Yes, I'm fine." He had managed to block most of the blows and his heavy armour had protected him from the worst of those he hadn't, though he could already feel the bruises forming under padding while blood seeped where the rouge had managed to cut into the weak areas of his armour. "The other?" he asked looking around. Soris had managed to cut the other thug down while Elissa and another guard took down the last two.

"Everyone's fine, one of the guards, Brian, has been hurt but he should be fine." Kallian watched as he gingerly sheathed his sword.

"Everyone still alive?" Elissa called out as she walked back to meet them.

"I think so." Rauri called back over.

"Well we should probably set up camp a bit further down the road," wrinkling her nose as she looked around "I don't much fancy the company here."

They gave a short laugh in spite of themselves. "It's a good thing we'd hardly started setting up camp then." Kallian turned and looked at her cousin Shianni as she spoke, smiling slightly, she had been very quite since they had left Denerim.

After they had finally set up camp for the night and set up watches, they slowly began to relax a little. Ruari sat down by the fire as Elissa looked over Brian's injuries; he had managed to get struck across the head by a shield, earning him a deep cut and large purple bruise over the right side of his head. He pulled out his own injury kit from his pack placing it in front of him, as he began to unbuckle his upper armour. Quickly he cleaned and stitched the gash across his left forearm he smothered the closed wound with a poultice before wrapping a small bandage around his arm. Satisfied with his work he turned his attention to the stab wound in his shoulder.

"Thank you." He looked up mid-way through unbuckling his padding when Kallian spoke.

"What?" he asked looking up at her from where he sat.

"For helping Soris and protecting my friends, thank you." She held her arm as she looked down at him sheepishly. She looked incredible young no more than 17, her blond hair hung louse falling down to her waist, her eyes not meeting his.

"I should be the one thanking you; you saved my life when you took out those two thugs." He smiled up at her; she looked up slightly meeting his eyes as she smiled back. Her eyes were so dark he thought they were black at first; only the soft orange light of the fire flicking across her pale face reviled the dark green hue. Her eyes widened slightly as she noticed the dark stain that trailed down his shoulder.

"You're bleeding."

"Ah, yeah the rouge caught me off guard for a bit there." He laughed lightly smiling again, "don't think it's that bad, bit of patching up and it'll be fine."

"Here let me take a look." She knelt behind him as he peeled his padding jacket off, revealing a brown linen shirt cut where the dagger had went through and stained with blood.

She ripped the shirt slightly allowing her to see the wound better. It was quite deep, the rouge managing to find the weak joining of the two pieces of metal, had cut through the seam of the padded jacket, piercing near the shoulder joint.

As she repeated his steps from before Ruari felt himself relax at her touch. Her hands were cold and soothing against his heated injured flesh.

"You're quite good at this." He stated as she begun to expertly stitch his shoulder.

"Ha, yes I've done this before, Soris and I where always getting in to trouble, always coming home with bumps, bruises, and cuts." Quirking her eyebrows with a smirk, "I suppose we still are really."

"I think that applies to all of us at the moment." He said smiling looking ahead in to the fire.

"There all done," Kallian said as she wrapped the last bandage around his shoulder. "Though it's not healed, you'll have to go easy on it for a while, doctor's orders." She replied jokingly.

"Of course my Lady." He smiled and nodded his head slightly, the use of the title had confused the elven woman before, but she had slowly got used to him calling her this. She simply smiled and returned to where her cousin Shianni and friend Meri stood near the carriage and horse. He watched her walk away, noticing the way her hair shined silver in the moon light.

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**I tried to think of a witty name for this chapter but couldn't really think of one, so cause Kallian saves Ruari's ass thought I'd stick in something simple and too the point. O and thanks to SnowHelm again for helping with the last chapter! Please rate and Review!**


	7. Chapter 7 Running Jump

**I know it's a little bit late, but I got help up with work and stuff, goo news is I'm working on chapter 17 so YAY! but yeh, the next few chapters are gonna be about Aeden and are some of my favourites cause he's a really interesting character to write so far. So yeh enjoy!**

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Aeden Cousland had only been a day away from the city of Denerim when he had entered a small village in hope of news. He had tried to bring as little attention to himself as possible since he'd escaped Howe's guards. He'd kept the crest of his shield covered and let his hair fall louse from his tie. His beard had also grown out, though helpful in changing his appearance was more due to the lack of a shaving blade and spare time, the new growth made his face itch.

Making his way in to a small tavern with his trusted Mabari Fang, he ordered a glass of ale before sitting in the corner of the room, facing towards the door. He sat silently, mostly ignored by the locals that filled the other chairs and tables, and begun to listen to the talk the flitted through the room.

"That's funny business that, what happen up in Highever." Aeden ears pricked up at the sound of his home, shifting in his chair slightly he leaned heavily against the table, straining his ear to listen; Fan whined quietly as he sense his masters tension.

"Aye, I don't think I believe what they's saying bout the Teyrn, he fought those Orlesian bastards out with King Maric, I can't see him sellin' us out to them now."

Aeden's grip tightened on the mug of ale as he continued to listen. "Aye me too, but then there was all that happenin' up at the Palace a few days ago. They saying' the youngest Cousland cut her way through the palace, killed the Arl's son before ridin' off somewhere."

"I 'eard it was some elves that did that." A third voice join in on the discussion.

"What Jeven you drunkin' lout, how's a bunch of knife ears gonna cut down a bunch of guards?"

"Dunno, just tellin' ya what I 'eard."

The conversation changed topic and Aeden quickly lost interest. She must have escaped, he thought, where would she go? His brother Fergus and the King were at Ostagar, but it would have been safer to gain more support, report what had happened, before heading straight to the King.

Redcliffe, he thought, Arl Eamon was a good friend to his father and they had spent a few summers as the Arl's guest. He was also close to Ostagar, and had men he was more than likely sending to fight the darkspawn, it would be easy to get a message to his brother or the King.

Drinking down the rest of the bitter ale, he left the tavern to resupply his pack. He had managed to get a bed roll and tent from a traveling merchant, and some food, but it was quickly running low, and though Fang was good at hunting it was coming late in to the year, and it would soon become harder to hunt. Quickly gathering his supplies of food and health poultice he turned to leave the small village while it was still early in the afternoon. He walked until it became too dark to see the road clearly, after finding somewhere safe to bed down for the night he laid out his bed roll, too exhausted to set up his tent, he collapsed in to the soft roll as Fang stretched out beside him.

The next few days passed similarly, walking along the road from dawn until he could walk no more, barely stopping to eat. The road way had been quite, the occasional merchant and hired carriage went past, as well as a few riders, none of who could tell Aeden any more news than he already knew.

He had been traveling for nearly six days when they had found him, Howe's men; exhausted from the traveling. They fought the three guards pushing them back to give him enough distance to turn and head for the Bercilian forest.

As he and his hound crashed through the thick tree's he couldn't help but feel a sense of Déjà vu. He ran, jumping and ducking under branches and raised roots. The shouts of the guards could still be heard behind him, the blood pumped too loudly in his ears to tell if they were getting closer or not.

Suddenly the ground ahead of him seemed to stop as the sound of rushing water roared loudly through the forest. Skidding to a halt before he ran off the edge, he looked down at a deep streaming pool.

"We may have to jump boy," he looked down at Fang before looking behind him in time to see one of the soldiers raise his cross bow. The bolt hit him hard in his left should, pain seared through his body as the force of the impact sent him careening back, losing his footing on the crumbling edge. He felt his stomach lurch as gravity left him; he watched the cliff side pass in front of him as he fell. He heard a loud bark from above him, and knew it meant his hound had followed his descent.

He hit the water like a brick wall. It knocked the air from his lungs as he tried to grab hold of something with his outstretched arms. He was thankful again that he did not wear heavy armour. The lighter weight of his plated leather meant he would not sink like a stone straight away.

He felt the water move beside him when Fang landed in to the pool, he paddled toward Aeden slipping under his uninjured arm helping to keep him afloat at the current of the stream pulled them further in to the depths of the forest.

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**As I've said I've been a little bit busy and this weekend I'll be away and wont be back till Tuesday but I'll try and post on Wednesday as usual is i can. I done a little bit of rewriting with a few of the chapters, I expected to be introducing Dylan Amell in chapter 17 but it looks like it'll be a bit later than that, but fear not he shall show up soon! Thanks again for the reviews! Keep them coming so I know what I'm doing wrong/right lol**


	8. Chapter 8 Encounter

**I know it's a bit late but I've had to play catch up with work since I was away at the weekend, London was kinda awesome tho I did have an unfortunate incident with chasing a pigeon, and falling on my ass. Anyway! Here is chapter eight! a little bit more of our young Mr. Cousland! Hope you all enjoy! **

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Chapter Eight

He woke sometime later; the sun had moved higher in to the sky showing that the morning had passed. Fang lay beside him and whined slightly as Aeden grimaced as he sat up right, his shoulder ached and his back stung where he had hit the water's surface. He looked around at his surrounding, the forest was thick but the autumn had left the trees bare and allowed the sunlight to break through the branches.

"You okay boy?" he asked Fang, he barked and wagged his tail in answer.

Aeden smiled as he pulled his pack, which he had thankfully not lost in the stream, towards him. Taking out a small injury kit he gritted his teeth as he broke the shaft of the bolt embedded in to his left shoulder. He set about treating the wound as best he could, the poultice and balms helped heal the worst of it, though the pain remained.

Aeden stood when the pain and dizziness reseeded slightly , there was little he could do for the pain in his back, shrugging it off he turn to his hound, "Come on Fang, we better move from here before those bastards catch up with us, I doubt they think we're dead."

He looked around; he needed to head south west out of the forest to the main road to Redcliffe, after gaining his bearings he set off.

The forest was beautiful, he thought as he walked along the trodden paths, the sunlight shone through the golden and red leaves of autumn casting a warm glow that heated him through the slight chill that had begun to creep in to the air as the sun got lower in the sky, the peaceful surroundings and the soft sound of birds relaxed him as he breathed forest air deeply.

His peaceful musings where cut short when he heard a scream pierce though the stillness. He jerked his head towards where the sound came from, Fang growled as he readied his sword and shield. He made his way through the trees to where he heard voices laughing and angry shouts.

He stopped just at the edge of a small clearing, light grass covered the small area, and a large boulder sat at the far side with a strange long fallen grey tree lay near.

Aeden sucked in a breath when he saw the three soldiers that had chased him in to the forest standing in the clearing, one dragging a young elven woman by her long raven hair as he walked towards the fallen tree.

"Well we might not have found that Cousland brat, but wasn't a total lose." The man dragging the elven woman threw her forward towards the tree. She spat out angrily in a foreign tongue at the three men as they laughed.

"Who's going first?" one of them asked Aeden felt bile rise in his throat as they men begun to argue.

"Fang" Aeden whispered the Mabari looked up at the sound of his name, "protect the elf after I take them by surprise."

Fergus had once told him that he fancied himself a rouge with a shield, though his sister was much better at stealth than he was, he had gotten good at it sneaking back in to the castle when he had spent too much time at the tavern with Ruari.

The skill was serving him well now as he creeped up behind the soldier that had dragged the woman in to the clearing; he drove his sword through his side, the top of it protruding out of the middle of his gut. What happened next was madness, taken completely by surprise the second guard quickly pulled out his sword and struck out at Aeden, who deflected the blow with his sword before hitting the edge of his shield. Fang now stood in front of the elven woman facing out to the solider and growling.

Aeden raised his shield to block the daggers of the third soldier; the shock waves of the blow sent a fresh stab of pain to his barely healed wound. Hearing the warning bark from Fang as the second guard, who had recovered from his shield bash, he twisted just in time to avoid a deadly blow, instead, he lunged forward before the guard could recover from the wide swing and drove his sword through his chest. Quickly he kicked the man's body off of his blade, as the rouge solider slashed at his less protected side, he avoided it in time to earn only a small cut from the blade. He threw his left arm up with a cry of rage and pain as the rouge tried to cut across his throat; he knocked him off balance enough to thrust his sword into his abdomen.

Panting heavily, he fell to his knees, using his sword to keep himself upright. He heard Fang whine and look across to where he sat with the elven woman who looked at him; eyes filled with hate, panic and fear, she had a red tattoo that covered most of her face and short dark hair that framed her forehead, Dalish, he guessed. She sat clutching the top of her clothes that seemed to have been ripped, a red welt covered her left cheek and eye; they would be bruises soon he thought.

He grunted as he stood, replacing his sword and shield, he walked over to where he had entered the clearing and lifted his pack from where he had left it. Walking over to the opposite side of the fallen tree he dropped down on to his knees and pulled one of the three spare shirts he had in his pack, a health poultice, a water flask and a few pieces of dried meat and left them sitting on top of the fallen tree. He smiled at the woman, who had been watching him the entire time, before moving away.

He looked down at the dead soldiers, thinking he should probably move them, "I'm going to get rid of these bodies, Fang," the dog barked happily and wagged his stubby tail at the sound of his name, "stay here and protect the lady."

He slung one of the bodies over his shoulder as he made his way away from the small clear, after a few minutes walking he dropped the body in to a small grove in the ground, he done the same with the other two, taking their coin purses when he had finished, finding one and a half sovereigns and collecting one of the daggers the guard had used. Placing the coin in to his own purse he returned to find the Dalish woman laughing quietly at the Mabari hound as he rolled on his back, his tongue lolling at the side of his mouth as he encouraged her to scratch his stomach.

The laughter died when she noticed his return, smiling at her reassuringly, he noticed she had pulled his spare over sized shirt on, and the red welts on her skin had nearly disappeared. He took the bed roll from his pack, setting it again at the side of the fallen tree. He pulled the sheathed dagger from his belt, noticing the woman flinch, he quickly placed in on top of the bed roll before retreating to the far side of the clearing again, sitting cross legged at the bottom of a tree, staring at his folded hands. She looked at the bed roll and dagger and watched him as she stretched out a shaking hand grabbing and clutching the dagger to her chest. He smiled and nodded when she took the dagger.

Fang continued to roll back and forth on his back wiggling his belly asking for it to be scratched again. "Do you understand common?"He spoke without looking up and though he had tried to speak softly the Dalish woman's head snapped up at the sound of his voice. "Sorry didn't mean to frighten you."

The woman simply stared at him warningly before slowly nodding. "Feel free to use the bed roll," he stood and walked to sit at the opposite side of the tree, facing away from the elven woman and Fang.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he heard the woman fall asleep, though he couldn't blame her for feeling uneasy. He pulled his pack round from the far side of the tree, as he begun to unbuckle his black armour. Every one of his muscles seemed to ache, the wound from the bolt was stiff with a thumping dull pain pulsing through it. The small nick from the soldier's blade, that he had been ignoring, stung slightly as he pulled the linen fabric away from the inflamed flesh. He rubbed the cleansing balm over the cut he placed a small bit of padding to protect against infection before pulling the spare blanket from his pack. He sat and listened to the quite sound of the sleeping forest, preparing himself for the first and only watch of the night.

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**Aww isn't he nice :D there shall be more Cousland coming in the next chapter so fear not! Mike3207 mentioned the tags changing and in case anyone else has noticed it's cause there's a few different pairings and I'm gonna change it every one and a while. And I've written a few fight scenes (there's loads in the later chapters as well) and mostly cause I'm a little paranoid, I'm considering moving the rating up, let me know what you think.**


	9. Chapter 9 And miles to go before I sleep

**Hello again! We return to see what's happening with our dear Aeden Cousland as he marches to Redcliffe. Wasn't sure if I was gonna be able to get this up tonight but it's here! Chapter 9! Enjoy and Review! :D**

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It hadn't seemed as though much time had passed until the sky lightened, sighing Aeden slowly pulled himself up from the alcove of tree roots that had been his bed for the night, though he had not slept. He winced as he stood his aches and pains more prominent with the morning light, he stretched his stiff limbs and tried to rub the tiredness from his face, the morning chill sent goose bumps over his skin.

He looked around the tree to see the elven woman still sleeping facing away from him; Fang curled up at her back. He sighed before grabbing a small bar of soap and leaving the clearing, walking down to a small stream he had found the night before while disposing of the dead soldiers. The cool water made him shiver as he let it fall over his head lifting the last of his weariness. He quickly washed his hair, and after a moment's thought, his beard, he was not used to having so much hair on his face though it had stopped itching as much as before. Satisfied that he no longer looked like a crazed man covered in muck and blood he returned to the small clearing.

Fang had woken from his deep sleep and looked up at his master's return, afraid he would awaken the still sleeping woman he quickly brought his finger to his lips to silence the dog, Fang huffed to show he understood.

Pulling his last remaining shirt from his bag he whispered "Why don't you go see if you can find yourself some breakfast?" Fang jumped and happily barked and ran in to the forest with his stubby tail wagging. He laughed quietly at the dog enthusiasm until he heard the shifting of the bed roll, he turned quickly to face away from the awakening elf and he pulled his shirt on. he wondered if she could see the mass of bruises he could feel ever time he moved.

"Morning mi Lady" he said when he had finished with the ties of his shirt. He could better see the features of the woman in the morning light, she looked to be a few years older than him, though by how much he couldn't guess, her hair still looked black in the light and her eyes where a simple brown. The Dalish woman didn't say anything, simply watched as he reached in to his pack and pulled some food out, an apple and some dried meat. Again he placed the food on the far side of the fallen tree as he had done the night before moving back to gather his own portion.

"Ma serannas…" Aeden's head shot up at the unfamiliar sound, at first he thought he had imagined it, but he looked towards the elven woman to see her looking towards him. "My thanks" she said after Aeden dumbly stared at her for a few seconds.

"O, ah you're welcome." He ran his hand through his hair not really sure what to say next, the silence had been awkward, the reality of making conversation seemed worse. Before he could think of anything to say, the Dalish woman spoke again.

"Were those men looking for you?"

He felt a deep pull within his stomach as he looked towards the area he had dropped the bodies. "Yes, I'm sorry; it's my fault they were here in the first place."

"You are not to blame for their actions." She said reassuringly.

"Maybe not, but it is still my fault they were here." They ate in silence for a few minutes before Aeden realised something, "My name Aeden, by the way."

"Keeli"

"Keeli, I am heading to a village called Redcliffe, to the east. I do not think there are any more soldiers in the woods, but if you do not feel safe enough to travel by yourself I would be happy to accompany you if you wish."

Keeli sat in thought for a moment before answering, "I will walk with you until we come to the path that will lead to the east, my home is not far from there."

Fang arrive as they finished their small breakfast, seemingly satisfied with whatever he had found for his own.

Aeden quickly repacked his supplies before buckling himself back in to his armour, it wasn't long until they began to trek through the woods.

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**I'm a little behind on my chapters at the moment, have been a little stuck cause I keep re-writing everything! actually thought I would be further along in the story by now, sorta thought I'd have got them to Circle Tower by now but story seems to have taken a life of his own, they haven't even made it to Redcliffe! But we'll get there soon, so yeh as I mention last week there's loads of different parings coming up I'm wondering who you think will end up with who and your favourite paring? **


	10. Chapter 10 Going to work

**Yo! I haven't been writing as much as I hoped I would this week, so next weeks chapter maybe late, we've finally reached the beginning of the battle, Enjoy!**

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Chapter Ten

"You, Neria and Lyna are to go to the tower of Ishal and ensure the beacon is lit." Duncan watched as the young wardens face fell.

"What? I won't be in the battle."

"This is by the kings personal request; Alistair. If the beacon is not lit, Teyrn Loghain's won't know when charge." Duncan watched Alistair's frown deepen before he replied.

"So he needs three grey wardens standing up there holding the torch" Alistair scoffed, Duncan sighed as he walked past him towards were the other were gathering. Lyna was counting out her arrows while Neria was checking her supply of lyrium and health potions.

"This was a personal request from the King Alistair." Duncan gave the young man a pointed look, he scratched at his head and gave him a slightly pleading look.

"But, surly one of the Teyrn's men could be sent."

"No Alistair, only half of Teyrn Cousland's men arrived with his son, we don't know what happened to the Teyrn or the other forces but they were due a few days ago. The King sent out a small scouting party to search for them in case they ran in to a group of darkspawn; and as for Loghain, I'm a not sure what has happened but he offered to send his own men but the King refused and asked for the new recruits."

"You think the King doesn't trust him?"

"I only know that if King Cailan wishes for the gray wardens to light the beacon, then grey warden will be there. We must do whatever it takes to destroy the darkspawn; exciting or no."

"I understand Duncan, but if the King ever asks me to put on a dress and dance the Remigold, I'm drawing the line, darkspawn or no." he smiled as Duncan sighed again rolling his eyes before he turned to meet the other recruits, hiding the small smirk that had begun to play on his mouth.

Duncan quickly explained how to get to the other recruits how to reach the tower and what the signal was to light the beacon.

"Duncan…" Alistair called before he could leave. "Maker watch over you."

"Maker watch over us all," he smiled softly at him "Go make sure you have everything ready, I'll see you afterwards." Alistair watched him go for a moment before he turned back to ready his equipment.

"Neria," the mage turned to see Lyna standing beside her with a small silver key in her hand. "The man that was being held in the cage gave me this key, he said that it opened that mages chest other there" she lifted her hand and pointed to a chest that sat between two of the senior Enchanters tents as she sat the key into her hand. "You might be able to find something useful in it."

"Thank you Lyna" she said smiling up at her, quickly she looked around to make sure there was no one paying attention to her as she walked over and opened the chest.

She collected a few of the potions and the money, leaving the staff behind, she liked the one she had. When she returned they were ready to leave for the tower, the battle below in the clearing of the wilds had already begun. Shouts, cry's and screams filled the air as steel met steel, explosions and flashes of light struck out against the dark of the clouds in the sky as lighting and thunder clashed and the mages threw spell after spell at the darkspawn.

"Come on! We have to get to the tower!" Alistair voice called over the roar of the wind and battle as they made their way across the bridge.

"Look out!" Lyna called pulling Alistair by the collar of his armour as a large fire ball fell on to the pathway of the bridge. The impact knocked them back and the stone bridge quaked with the force of the collision. "We have to get off of this bridge!"

They stood quickly and began to run past the archers to the other side of the bridge, where the tower of Ishal stood. A guard and another mage ran out to meet them as they reached the gate way to the tower.

"Your grey wardens aren't you?! The tower it's been taken!" the guard pointed up through the gate way, his eye were thick with panic and hope as he stared back at them.

"What do you mean taken? Taken how?" Alistair asked coming closer to the man.

"The darkspawn came up through the lower chambers! Their everywhere" Most of our men are dead!"

"Come on, there are darkspawn and we are dorf'len lets kill them and then light this beacon." Lyna said moving forward past the wide-eyed guard and mage.

Neria turned to look at them as them as they remain gapping "Well, come on, they're not going to kill themselves, put us out of a job if they did." She smiled wickedly at them both before turning and following Lyna towards the tower.

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**So as I said might be a bit late next week but I've got a few days off next week so you never kno i could power through and finish a whole load of chapters! Rate and review! **


	11. Chapter 11 Takin' care of business

**Hello again! Would like to say thanks to all the other people who've been sending reviews and to the people that have been following and favouriting the story! :D it's always a good kind of kick in the ass to jump start the next chapter lol hope you enjoy this one! It's a little more grim in places with the violence and slight gore so I thought I'd put the rating up just in case! Enjoy!**

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"I don't understand! What are they even doing this far ahead of the horde?" Alistair asked as they cleared the first floor of the tower.

"I don't know Alistair but, if you really want to know you could try asking them; you know, when they're not trying to cut us in half." Neria said as she kicked a dismembered darkspawn arm away from her.

"It's doesn't matter why or how they got here right now, we just have to kill them and light that stupid thing." Lyna said as she pulled a few of her arrow louse from the fallen darkspawn. The other mage watch and grimaced as they came away with a loud squelch and a pop.

"How many floors are there in the tower?" Neria asked as they walked towards the stair case.

"There are three more, the last one is where the beacon is." The guard answered.

The all fell silent as they reached the top of the stairs, carefully opening the door to check the hallway before they entered.

Lyna swallowed to ease the nausea that welled in her stomach at the sight that greeted them, bodies of the other guards lay surrounding the room, their bodies cut up and their head stuck on top of the handles of their swords than had been drove in to the stone ground. She looked around to see she wasn't the only one affected. A sense of dread filled her as she thought of Tamlen, is this what had happened to Tamlen's body? She fought back the anger that sprung forth at the thought of Tamlen at the mercy of such creatures because she couldn't stop him, couldn't find him in time.

"Dar Falon'Din vena na Tamlen am'na etha" she felt a hand on her should and say Neria standing beside her.

"Are you okay?" she asked

"Abelas, I am fine." Neria nodded as the both walk over to mean the others.

"There are darkspawn standing at the end of the corridor, and in the two rooms on either side of the halway." Alistair said pointed to the two doors.

"What should we do." The mage asked.

"We need to spilt up in to two groups," Alistair said after a moment of thinking. "There is a large group there" he pointed to the right "so Lyna and I shall clear that chamber" he pointed to the room to the left, "and exit on to the main corridor while the rest of you clear the other room. Lyna and I shall draw their attention to us, and then you can come of that room behind them and catch them by surprise."

They all nodded, agreeing with the plan, "it will only work if we do the first part quietly, so no big explosions please," he said looking to the other mages.

They spilt-up and entered the two opposing rooms, Lyna walked in silently behind one of the darkspawn spilling black thick ichor as she slit its throat, Alistair ran his sword through the one standing closet to her, the blade piercing its back and protruding through its stomach. The third one turned and quickly had an arrow placed in its throat as Lyna realised the drawn bow.

"Well that wasn't too bad." Alistair smirk, Lyna return the gesture before looking back to see how the others had done. Neria and the other mage had frozen and paralysed the four darkspawn with their magic before they all used their daggers and swords to silently kill them. They nodded towards them to let them know they were ready.

Both Alistair and Lyna took a deep breath before they pulled open the door. Lyna quickly notched two arrows and fired them in to the first darkspawn as Alistair let out a war cry. The darkspawn screeched at them as a few charged. Lyna quickly fired towards the archers as Alistair met the first Hurlock darkspawn, knocking it off-balance with his shield before using his sword to cut his head off at the jaw. Lyna noticed a darkspawn stayed behind, realising why when it pulled a staff out that began to crackly with power.

"MAGE!" she shouted taking aim to fire another two arrows at it, having to drop down as a bolt of lightning came towards her. There was a bag of a door as Neria and the other entered in to the corridor. Ice and wind spun around Neria in a blue and white glow, her hair blew around her face as she realised a torrent of cold freezing a few of the darkspawn stunning the others. She stepped up towards the mage darkspawn, gathering more power for another blast.

It screeched a release another bolt of lightning, Neria quickly pulled a barrier up knocking the blast away, the darkspawn charged towards her in rage, she quickly ducked to avoid the swinging staff, gathering her own lightning in her hand quickly bring it up and ramming the small ball of electricity in to the darkspawn chest. it screamed and convulsed as current tore it way through its body before it grew limp and fell dead at her feet. She looked up to see the others fighting six more darkspawn, the other mage trying to protect himself from an onslaught of blows, as Lyna had been forced to switch to her dagger to fight in close quarters, Alistair and the other guards trying to take out a group of three.

She took a deep breath gripping her staff with both hands, she lifted it felling the power build and build and she quickly forced as much mana to gather at the end of her staff before she brought it down to the ground with such force, it chipped the stone floor. Her power exploded, realising a tempest of lightning that struck each of the darkspawn, killing them.

When the spell had finished her sighed before sat down on the ground, trying to avoid the spilled ichor.

"Are you alright?" she looked up to see Alistair and the others staring at her as Lyna rummaged around in the darkspawn mages pack.

"I'm okay Alistair, just took a little bit more out of me than I thought it would." She said with a huff of a laugh and a tired smile.

"Here I found this; you used a lot of mana." Lyna joined them holding a lyrium potion that she had found in the darkspawns bag.

"Thank you." She said, quickly drinking the tangy metical drink, grimacing at thetaste.

"Only one more floor before we reach the beacon, and we'll be able to celebrate with a better tasting drink," Alistair said with a smile, helping her to her feet again, "I know a solider that can get us the good stuff."

"Good I'll need something to wash the taste out of my mouth," she said returning the smile.

They quickly made their way to the next floor, finding the kennel for the Marbari war hounds. Lyna ran quickly realising the leaver holding the cages closed. The Marbari quickly ran and attacked the darkspawn, helping them clear the floor quicker.

It wasn't long till they had reached the top of the tower, as the opened the door and enter the last room they meet with a huge creature, over teen feet tall.

"WHAT IN THE VOID IS THAT?" Neria asked as it turned round to look at them.

"OGRE" Alistair said before they had to drive out of the way of its charge.

"TRY AND DRAW ITS ATTENTION!" Lyna shouted towards Alistair and the guard, "KEEP TRYING TO FREEZE AND PARALYSE IT" she shouted towards Neria and the other mage. Lyna quickly grabbed her poisoned arrows and began to fire them at the ogre as Neria worked on immobilising it. Alistair and the guard shouted and taunted the ogre drawing it attention away, as soon as the ogre stopped moving Lyna ran and jumped on to its back, using an arrow and a dagger to drag herself up its body on to its shoulders. She quickly rammed the arrow in to one side of its neck, using the leverage to plunge her dagger in to the front of its throat. She felt the creature beginning to fall as she leaned forward, making it crashed face first in to the ground as she scrambled to stay on its back.

"Well that was impressive, but let's not rush to do it again." Alistair said as she pulled her dagger from the ogre's neck, "come on the beacon over here, we've probably already missed the signal."

Neria quickly dropped a small ball of fire in to the beacon, sending a gust of fire out of the top of the tower. They stood watching the flames flicker in the fire when the door to the chamber busted open. Neria felt an arrow hit her right shoulder, before she could gather what little mana she had left to create a barrier, knocking her to the ground. She heard the other shout and watched as the guard and the mage were over taken by the darkspawn. Lyna and Alistair were hit by arrows as a loud and shrill cry sounded out around them, Neria saw the feathers of a bird before she fell in to darkness.

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**Another sorta-kinda-cliffy! lol Hope you all liked it! I'm finishing off another rewritten version of chapter 17 at the moment, this story has taken on a life of it's own right now, we're still not in Redcliffe! But think by chapter 20 one group of our heroes will meet the other! :O lol Let me kno how you think it's going! :D**

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**I keep forgetting to do this, but Elven translation, Lyna's basically saying "May Falon'Din find you Tamlen and keep you safe" I might end up going back over the last couple of chapters cause I'm pretty sure I've abused Elvish and not stuck in what it was suppose to mean a few time now... Sorry!**


	12. Chapter 12 Sparing is not a euphemism

**I'm a Bit late putting this up but for some reason it wouldn't load last night, so here it is! Chapter 12, hints towards one of the pairings in this chapter :P hope you enjoy!**

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Elissa lay awake as she watched the sun began to rise; the sky had turned to a purple hue as the light slowly bled in to the sky. She didn't know how long she had lay there, it had been hours since Jarvis had taken over the watch for her, but it felt like only minute had passed. She couldn't remember waking up, or falling asleep, doubting that she had.

With a sigh she sat up from her bed roll and looked around the camp. Ruari was sitting talking quietly to the young Elven man, Soris she reminded herself. Everyone else appeared to be sleeping, but as she looked round she notice Kallian was missing.

She had taken off her armour the night before, sleeping in her leather britches and linen shirt. Untangling herself from her bed roll she stood and pulled her boots on and attached her daggers to her hip, before making her way over to the two men by the camp fire. Not wanting to startle the two men she walked loudly as she approached the two chuckling men.

"Good morning Soris, Ruari." She smile and nodded at them both.

"Good morning my Lady Cousland, I was just telling Soris about the last training session myself and Aeden ran though, Nan ended up throwing a bucket of water over us because we were making so much noise outside the kitchen."

"Don't forget the part where I threw flour over you as well." She laughed at the memory of her brother and Ruari white as ghosts and getting scolded by her mother. She felt a slight pain in her chest that she still did not know what had happened to them. If what the Arl's son had said is true then something horrible could have happened at Highever.

She had left two days before her brother had left for the battle against the darkspawn, three day before Arl Howe was due to arrive. She hadn't wanted to stay there encase he had brought his brute of a son Thomas. It was selfish of her, she left her family to face Maker knows what without her, all because she couldn't stand the attention of the Arl's son.

Pulling herself from her thoughts she looked over to Soris "Soris, do you know where Kallian is?"

"Ah, yes she said she was going to the stream over there to clean up."

"Thank you." She smiled before walking back to her bed roll to collect her bag of belongings. The stream was not very deep but it was far enough away from the road and covered by enough trees and hedges that it gave you enough privacy to bath. As she walked gingerly down the bank of the stream she seen Kallian standing in the deepest back of the water scrubbing her long blonde hair with a bar of soap she must have borrowed from one of the guards.

"Morning, Kallian." She called as she sat and began to pull her boots off.

"Good morning Lady Cousland" Kallian twisted to look at her as she spoke.

"Please call me Elissa," she smiled as the young Elven girl smile and nodded. She looked over to see the white blood stained dress hanging wet on a low branch of a tree. _"Her wedding dress" _she thought.

"Kallian, I know you haven't got any other clothes so I brought a pair of my spare britches and a tunic. They might not fit you exactly, but they are clean and warm."

"Thank you la- Elissa" she said smiling again.

They bathed in silence for a few minutes before Kallian spoke again. "I never said thank you, for helping us, for saving Shianni, and taking us with you. If we had returned to the Alienage the guards would have torn it apart to find us."

"You do not have to thank me; it was the least I could do after what happened. I'm sorry about your wedding day." Kallian ducked her head under the cool water, washing the foam of the soap away before offering a simple hum and nod in answer. "Will your betrothed be joining you in Redcliffe?"

Kallian paused for a moment her hands stilling in untangling her hair before she answered. "No, he came with Soris to get us out, but a guard killed him." Elissa stared at the young woman, unsure what to say. "It was an arranged marriage," Kallian continued sensing her discomfort. "He came from the Alienage in Highever. I thought it was strange that he risked his life by trying to save me, he had only met me that morning, I didn't even want to marry him, but he still lost his life trying to save me."

Her expression remained blank as she spoke, and again Elissa was at a loss for words. "He was very brave." She said finally, internally wincing at the words. Kallian only response was to hum and nod again.

"Why were you at the castle? I heard you say something about an assassin?"

"Ah yes, an assassin attack me in my room at the guest house we had been staying at. When I questioned him he said he had been sent by Arl Rendon Howe. When I didn't believe him he showed me a letter from Howe to Bann Vaughantelling him how much to pay the assassin and how thing on his side where going well."

"He said something about your family didn't he?"

"Yes, Arl Howe was visiting my family in Highever before he went to join the troops fighting the darkspawn with the King. His men were running late, my oldest brother had already left to join the fighting; my other brother was to stay behind and run the castle while my father was away. I'm worried about what has happened to them, I'm hoping to hear news when we stop at the next village."

"I hope that they are safe."

"Me too."

They quickly finished bathing and dressing to join the others back at camp, Elissa clothes, as she thought, did not quite fit Kallian. The britches curled down over her heels, and where slightly loose at her hips, the tunic hung on her shoulders slightly but it was better than the blood soaked clothes she had. The rest of the Elven women had woken and where heading to the stream they had just left. Brian was sparing with Soris, Jarvis was tending to the horses, while Ruari cleaned his armour getting it ready to wear again.

Elissa went to pack her bed roll away and collect her armour while Kallian moved towards where Ruari was sat. Sitting down beside him she looked over to where Soris and Brian where sparing.

"You friend is quite a good swordsman." She said as she continued to watch.

"Yes" Ruari laughed slightly, he suddenly felt nervous sitting beside her, he glanced over at her profile quickly, taking in her straight nose and full pink lips. Her hair was still wet from the stream making it darker, tied and trailing down her back. Her dark green eye flickering as she watched the quick movement of the men in front of her. He coughed when he released he had been staring, hoping she hadn't noticed, "Yes, Brian help train young Lord Cousland, Elissa brother Aeden. Though I must say you are quite skilled as well, where did you learn to fight?"

Kallian cheeks pinked slightly at the praise, "My mother taught me when I was younger before she died, my father didn't like it very much, the elves in the Alienage are not supposed to learn how to fight or have weapons."

"Everyone, make sure you have everything packed up, we'll be leaving as soon as we can, I want to get to the next village before it gets dark, if we're lucky we might find an inn to stay at." Elissa voice rang out over the camp as she finished scraping the bottom of her houses hoofs.

Ruari sigh slightly as everyone began to busy themselves, he turned and smiled to Kallian before he stood, "Perhaps we can spar together when we are not in a rush, after last night I obviously need to improve my skill against rogues."

She smiled brightly at him, and he couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked, as she said "I look forward to it." With a nod she walked away towards the stream again to inform the others that they would leave soon. He watched her disappear from view with a smile on his face and feeling lighter than he had since they had fled Denerim. When he looked back he noticed Elissa watching him, he quickly looked down hiding his blushing cheeks.

"So, you and our dear Elf maiden are getting along." Elissa smiled and teased lightly, "What were you talking about that cause her to blush."

"Nothing, I complimenting her sword work."

If it was possible Elissa smile grew wider, "Mmm her sword work.."

"Yes, I was talking about sparing with her when we had some free time."

Elissa burst out laughing at this statement and Ruari felt his ear heat up.

"Your impossible." he said as he turned away to continue collecting his belongings.

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**#Hint Hint# ;) The little bit at the end where Elissa tease Ruari wasn't in the original but I thought I'd add some light fluff to make up for the angst that's coming. So I had I had a bit of a mad week and wrote loads! so if it continues I'll probably post again this week to make up for the late posting. Review to let me know what you think.**


	13. Chapter 13 Perhaps

**Serious Angst in this chapter, you have been warned! The title comes from a poem written by Vera Brittain, look it up it's brilliant!**

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They had managed to make good time with the help of the horses they had taken with them from Denerim. After two more days they had finally reached a small village in South reach as the sun began to go down, leaving the horses and carriage at a small stable at the entrance of the village they went searching for a tavern.

Although they hadn't encountered anymore bandits or mercenaries since they're first night, Kallian had noticed Elissa's mood worsen at the lack of knowledge of what had happened to her family. She had not been sleeping well and Kallian had heard her walking around the camp when she wasn't on watch, dark circles had formed under her eyes and she reminded quite most nights while the other talked and exchanged stories.

"Elissa are you feeling well?" Kallian asked, she was unsure if it was due to the dark circles around her eyes, but she couldn't help thin that the young woman looked paler than usual.

"I am fine; I just really want to get to the tavern to see if they have any news of what has happened in Highever." She said keeping her gaze forward.

"Milady perhaps we should see about getting some rooms for tonight as well, the horse would benefit by staying in the stables for the night." Jarvis said as she walked up along-side them, Jarvis was a large man towering over the two woman, his skin was dark, his eyes where a deep shade of brown and was easily the tallest man Kallian had ever seen, it baffled her that he was able to walk so gracefully in his armour.

"Yes, a properly cooked meal would be welcome as well," Elissa said as she cranedher neck to look over the small crowds of people.

"There" she said suddenly pointing towards a small wooden building a few yards ahead of them. There was a sign hanging on the side of the wall before the door naming it 'The Wooden Duck'. "Let's go and see what we can find out."

Elissa marched over quickly through the market place, entering quickly while the other tried to catch up with her.

The tavern was quite with only a few patrons scattered around at different tables, the barkeeper disappeared down in to the cellar before Elissa could grab his attention. Ruari stop before walking over to join her at the bar, turning back to the others "It might be best for you to go the market before it closes, I know a few of you could do with better clothing." He said looking over to the Elves, "Jarvis and Brian would you go with them?" Ruari asked as he took his coin purse out and held it out to Jarvis to take.

"Of course" Jarvis said as Ruari dropped the purse in to his waiting hand. "Come on I'd say we only have an hour left before everything shuts."

Kallian looked back as she watch Ruari walked over to stand beside Elissa as the bar, wondering what news they would hear.

As Ruari join Elissa at the bar he could see the anxiety she had been trying to keep hidden come to the surface as she began to drum her finger on the top of the bar and bouncing on her toes as she leaned over the bar waiting for the tavern keeper to return.

"Elissa, I know you are anxious to hear news of Highever, but you must calm down. If Howe is trying to kill you it might not be best to advertise who you are." Ruari said as he placed his hand on her shoulder to still her.

"I know, I know, I just want to find out what happened back home. We're about a week from Redcliffe, and I want to be able to tell Eamon what has happened so he can get a letter to my brother."

The barkeeper came up from the cellar with a small barrel of ale, he was an older man with balding head, a ring of wispy blonde white hair surrounded his head, his face was had deep wrinkles in his brow and the skin around his eyes was darker with deep crow's feet sprouting for the corner of each eye. His face was red from the exertion of carrying the barrel and he took a deep breath before he spoke to them.

"What can I get for ye'?"

"We were wondering if you had any rooms?" Ruari asked.

"Aye, we do, 'ow many of ye's are there?"

"Erm, nine."

"I 'ave two big rooms probably do ye'"

"That's great thanks" Elissa said drawing the barkeeper's attention to her. "I was wonder as well if you have any news, we've have been travelling to Redcliffe and haven't heard much."

"Headin' to Redcliffe, 'eard the was a bit of bother up there, they says the Arl is sick, one of his Knights pass not that long ago."

"He's sick? Did he say what was wrong with him?" Ruari asked.

"Didn't say, just took a room and then head out, think he was making his way to Denerim." Elissa felt her stomach sink slightly at the thought that the Arl might be too sick to help them, that they wouldn't be able to get a letter to the King or her brother.

"Wasn't he meant to send his men to fight with the King?" Ruari was wondering why his Knights where heading toward Denerim, away from the fight against the darkspawn.

"Not sure, seen quite a few people head that way, last group left three days ago, said they was gonna be part of this big fight they was plainnin' against them darkspawn in a few days time."

"Have you seen any Knights from Highever pass?" Elissa ask no longer able to stop herself.

"Aye, pass by a good while ago, didn't stay mind you, just kept marching." The man scratched at the rough stubble on his chin as he spoke, "Terrible thing that happened up in Highever though."

"Why what happened?" Elissa tried her best to keep her voice from break, and stopped herself from grabbing the man, demanding to hear what had happened.

"Says that Arl Howe attacked the castle, he says that the Teyrn was selling out to the Orlesian, but I dunno, seems awfully fishy to me." Elissa felt the air around her still, as she tried to remind herself to breath, keeping herself from crying out, she felt a pressure on her left arm looking down to realise that Ruari was gripping her wrist. He had gone still as well though his breath had become ragged and harsh.

"He attacked the castle?" Ruari voice sound forced as he said the words, the barkeeper didn't seem to notice the stiff and harsh postures of the two people and continued to answer.

"Aye heard half of it was burned down, Teyrn and his whole family dead."

All of the air seemed to rush out of room as the news sank like a stone into Elissa's stomach; time seemed to slow, Aeden, Oriana and Oren, her mother and father, all dead. She was dimly aware of Ruari dragging her along and up a small set of stairs at the back of the tavern, the rooms kept far away from the bar to give the guest some privacy, her breathing was coming out in hasher short busts as they made in to one of the rooms they had booked. Ruari quickly closer the door behind them just before her knees gave out, she wrapped her arms in to her stomach as an intense pain build up along-side her first breathless cry. Ruari was suddenly kneeling in front of her she reached out and grabbed him burying her face in to his shoulder in an attempt to muffle her screams.

She cried until she was sick and exhausted, unable to lift herself from the floor Ruari picked her up and set her on to one of the two double beds in the room. She was dimly aware of the door closing before she fell asleep.

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**So this chapter was hard to write, I really wanted to get the reaction right, and used some knowledge of personal experiences. Let me kno how I did.**


	14. Chapter 14 Breaking point

**I kno this chapter is very late! but there were reasons, namely a very hastily planned road trip through the Glens of Antrim, and then a car accident, completely unrelated to the road trip, but still. So today not one but TWO chapters! The angst is continued in this one by the way, you have been warned...**

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Everything was quieter the next morning as they collected the horse from the stable; Elissa seemed to only tolerate her Mabari Drake for company never lifting her eyes far from the ground in front of her feet.

Ruari was quite as well though his silence seemed to be the brewing of a storm; Killian had noticed his jaw clenching and hands shaking while he gripped the reins of his horse. The knights Brian and Jarvis stayed together with the carriage having whispered conversation about Howe and what would happen when the King heard what he had done.

The silence haunted them for days as they continued towards Redcliffe, only short instructions where uttered as they made camp and pack up the next morning. Everyone was tense waiting for the tension to reach its breaking point. It happened on the third day as they came to stop early to make camp in a small clearing.

"We'll stop here for tonight." Elissa said as she brought her horse to a stop.

"It's still light, we're so close to Redcliffe we should try to cover as much distance as we can." Ruari said as Elissa and the other began to dismount.

"No, the nights are starting to get colder; we need the extra sunlight to collect enough fire wood to stop us from freezing in the night."

"We're four days away if we hurry we could make it in three." Ruari's voice had begun to rise as he walked towards Elissa, she continues to stare at her horse as she loosened it's bridle.

She sighed heavily and closed her eye before speaking. "What would be the point?"

Taken aback Ruari stared at her dumbfounded. "What?"

"What would be the point Ruari?" Elissa asked her voice raising; her left hand was clenched in to a fist while she threw her right out in a sweeping motion, her whole body seem to shake in rage.

Ruari seemed to recover from his shock, "We need to get a message to the King, tell him what Howe-"

"WHAT'S THE POINT?" Elissa cut him off with a shout. "IT WONT CHANGE ANYTHING, IT WONT FIX ANYTHING! THEY'LL STILL BE GONE, THEY STILL BE ALL DEAD, IT WONT BRING THEM BACK. SO SORRY IF I DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO RUSH TO REDCLIFFE SO I CAN TELL EVERYONE MY FAMILY IS DEAD."

Elissa turned away from them, grabbing her daggers before she turned towards the small wood "I'm going for a walk." She called behind her, whistling for Drake to follow.

They all stared after her frozen by the events; it wasn't until Ruari pulled his sword from his saddle and headed off in the position direction over the small road they had walked down.

The younger knight Brian moved as if to follow, but was stopped when Jarvis hand came down on to his shoulder holding him back.

"It would be best to let them sit by themselves for now; they both need to calm down before they have any company." He turned towards the others, "We'll set up camp for now, start up a fire, if they're not back by them we'll send someone to go bring them back."

They rest of them started to set up the camp and putting the horses to rest, Kallian only noticed that Shianni was gone when she turned to had finished helping Jarvis dismount the horse from the carriage.

"Where did Shinnai go?" she asked looking around the camp quickly to make sure she hadn't missed her.

"She asked to go collect some fire wood. Don't worry I gave her a dagger and told her not to go too far in to the forest. I also sent Brian out behind her in case there was trouble; I thought if I tried to send him with her she would have been offended." He said with a slight smile.

Kallian smiled back with a quite huff of laughter "Yes, she very headstrong, she would of complained about not being some weak woman that needed taken care of."

Jarvis laughed lightly "I know they type, my younger sister is the same."

Kallian smile faltered slightly, "Was she in Highever when…"

"Oh no she lives in West Hill, though I should probably see about getting a message to her soon, she'd kill me if she knew I was alive and hadn't bothered to try and tell her."

"Brain isn't back yet; you want to help me water the horse?" Jarvis asked, Soris, Meri and Valora we're setting up the bed rolls, she nodded as he shouted out to the others telling them they would be back soon.

They walked the horses to the river that followed a few yards away from the road. The soft light of the waning moon lit up the pathway as they stopped by the bank of the water, they sat and watched at the horse drank.

"That's where he got to then." Jarvis said as he looked pasted her bit further up the river bank. Kallian followed his eye to see Ruari sword propped up against a large boulder.

"Do you think we should see if he's alright?" Kallian asked.

"It might be a good idea to tell him to come back to camp" Jarvis sighed, "I'll bring the horse back , you can see if you can drag him back, he's probably more likely to come back with you, wouldn't want to walking on your own." Jarvis gave her a small smirk Kallian could feel a slightly blush spread on her cheeks.

"Ah.. okay, I'll.. I'll see you back at the camp then." She mumbled as she picked herself up, wrapping her cloak around her against the cold.

"_What will I say? What if he still wants to be alone?_" she took a deep breath as she got closer to the boulders hiding him for view. "_Wise up Kallian, you can do this, just tell him to man up and come back to camp. You've handled worse situations." _

"Ruari?" she called as she walked around the rocks, expecting to find him sitting by the river bank she stopped short when she saw his armour and clothes sitting on the ground and him in waist deep in the river water, looking at her wide eyed and red faced.

"O Maker! I'm sorry!" She said quickly cover her eyes with her hands and turning around, but not quick enough for her not to catch sight of the muscles the where sewing across his chest and arm, that had only been hinted at in his armour and clothes. "I'm so sorry, I just wanted to make sure you where okay and Jarvis said I should tell you to come back to camp, I didn't think you'd be bathing. Sorry."

"Kallian, it's fine, just- just wait there and I'll get dressed."

"Okay, sorry again."

"It's fine Kallian really." Ruari said, she could hear a smile in his voice as he spoke.

Kallian waited and listen to the splashing of water and the rustling of fabric as Ruari quickly dried and got dressed.

"It's safe now." Ruari said with a slight chuckle.

Kallian brought her hands down from her eyes; she could feel the heat from the blush on her face. She turned back around to look at him. His red hair was darker from the water; she could see small droplets fall down on to the neck of his shirt. His clothes were wet where he had failed to completely dry himself, making the cloth cling to his skin. His face had a matching blush as he pushed the wet hair away from his face.

"We should probably head back.." he said collecting his armour.

"Ah, okay." Kallian watch as he gathered everything, when he was finish they began to walk slowly back towards the camp. "I'm sorry about your friends."

Ruari's steps faltered slightly, he ran his hand threw his wet hair again, "Yeah, me too." His voice croaked as he spoke. Kallian could see his eye watering slightly as the edges of his eyes began to shine red.

"I just, I wasn't there to help them, I should have been but I wasn't."

"Do you think they might have lived if you where?" Kallian asked.

"I don't know," he sighed "I just wish I had been there to help, to do something. I feel like I failed the Teyrn, Fergus and Elissa, I was supposed to help keep her family safe and I wasn't there."

"If you had been there you would probably be dead as well, you wouldn't have been there to help Elissa escape from Denerim, and you wouldn't have been able to help Shianni or the rest of us." She shuddered at the thought of Shianni being left with the Arl son, and what Elissa and Ruari had stopped from happening.

"I…. I know, I want to do something anything that will make it right, that will make Howe pay for what his done, but Elissa is right it will not bring them back. It's just the only thing that I can think of doing, and she's so angry at me now."

"I don't think she's angry at anyone, I think she's just angry, she's probably thinking along the same lines as you, wishing she had been there, that she might have been able to make a difference." Ruari sighed and rubbed his hand along his face as he nodded. "You should speak to her, it's easier to deal with grief with someone who knew them.

He nodded again as they reached the out skirts of the camp, Kallian could see the soft glow of the fire as Brian added more fire wood, and spotted Shianni and Elissa walking out from amongst the trees Elissa giving Shianni her first smile in days before she walked towards them.

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**I KNO! I DONE IT! the cliche "interrupting someone bathing" but there was reasons! I wasn't sure about putting it in but I don't think the chapter would have worked without it. Next chapter... More angst... with a side of fluff ;)**


	15. Chapter 15 Memories

Shianni rolled her eyes as she heard the stumbling steps of the knight Brian as he made his way through the forest, she should have expected Jarvis to send someone out behind her. It didn't matter though, he would be easily enough to lose in the thick forest, especially with his thundering footsteps.

She felt a slight pang of sympathy at the thought of leaving the poor man running in circles looking for her, but she had something important to do, and it was best done without an awkward guard.

She ducked through the trees following the way she had seen Elissa take through the trees, she had duck out of her sight but Shianni guessed she would eventually stumble upon her. She didn't have to wait long until she could hear soft whispering and the quite wines of the Mabari Drake.

Elissa looked up as she approached, Elissa cheeks where wet with tears and her eyes were glazed and tinged pink Shianni saw the flicker of surprise and confusion that crossed her face as she seen who it was that had ventured in to the wood after her. They both had not spoken much since they had escaped Denerim; they hadn't really had much need to speak.

Shianni sat down beside her and waited. If it had been anyone else that had come to find her, Elissa probably would have sent them away, but she was curious why Shianni had come, and what she was going to say. They sat quietly for a while looking ahead while Elissa scrubbed the fur behind Drakes ears.

"I am sorry about your family." Shianni said breaking the silence.

Elissa took a deep breath bracing to speak, "I should have been with them."

"I think they were happy you weren't, you would have died as well. I'm sure they were glad you where some place safe with people they knew would keep you safe and alive."

Elissa let out a small humourless chuckle, "Yeah; it was only meant to be me, Brian and Jarvis, Aeden told Ruari to go with me, Aeden hates Denerim, always complains that the Nobles there are fall less than Nobel," she glanced over at Shianni remembering everything that had happened at the Arl estate. "I suppose he was right."

"Can I ask… Why where you in Denerim?"

"Arl Howe" she sneered in disgust as she said his name, "Would usually bring his daughter Delilah, or one of his sons, usually the younger one, Thomas. Howe would spend his time hinting at marriage between either Aeden and Delilah or Thomas and myself. It was uncomfortable… So when I asked to go to Denerim for a while when I knew he was coming." Elissa hands clenched in to fists as angry tears began to form in her eyes.

"Tell me about them." it wasn't a question or a demand, Elissa could her the curiosity lacing Shianni's voice.

"They're amazing," Elissa said smiling slightly "My mother is fantastic, I never knew anyone that could best her with a bow. She tried to teach me once but I was terrible, I never had the patients for it. She could make the fiercest man cower with a glare, though it was usually directed at Aeden and Ruari. I remember they both started a prank war with each other when they were younger, it started when Aeden put grease on the bottom of Ruari's boots and the hilt of his sword, Ruari got back at him by putting spiders in his bed, he woke half the castle up screaming, to this day he's still terrified of them. My mother was so angry at them they had to help out in the kitchens for a week."

"What did your dad do?"

Elissa's smile grew as she laughed at the memory, "He laughed, he may have been the Teyrn but he's as much of a child as my brothers and Ruari, he's always sneaking up behind one of them and pushing them in to the pond in the summer, or dropping snow balls down their shirts in the winter. He started a huge snow ball fight one winter, he tried to throw a snow ball at Fergus, but he ducked and the snow ball hit my mother instead, we all ended up running around for hours, we only stopped because Oriana thought Oren was going to catch a cold, she's from Antiva, still complains about the cold.

"She's always dragging us out to parties, she said they always threw really elaborate parties in Antiva, so when someone was throwing a party we had to go. Aeden hated it, he's not that great when it come to talking to women, which is ridiculous, he's nineteen and should of grew out of that by now, but show him a pretty girl and he'll start stammering all over the place, blushing and spouting stupid facts that he's read in some weird book. I'll be honestly surprised if he ever manages to get a woman." Elissa smiled faltered, "Not that that matters now." She huffed out a deep breath pushing her hair away from her face.

"And I know, I know that killing him will not bring my family back, and I will still have to look Fergus in the eye tell him his wife and son are dead. But it would make me feel better." She said pressing her hand in to her chest. "It would make me feel better"

"It won't." Shianni said dropping her head down to look at the ground. "You think that it will, so you'll do everything, lose everything to get justice, vengeance, thinking it will ease the hurt, but it won't."

"How would you know?" Elissa asked her voice quiet and horse.

"I've seen it, my mother and Kallian's mother were sisters, when I was fifteen and Kallian was thirteen, humans killed my mother, of course the guards did nothing, and even though everyone knew who they where and what they had done no one punished them for it. A few days afterwards Kallian mother disappeared and the men that had killed my mother began to show up dead around the city. She died when she killed the last one." Shianni sighed deeply before she continued. "She was gone and all we had left was more grief. I am not saying that Arl Howe shouldn't be punished, but do not think that doing so will fix how you feel."

They both grew quiet again, the sounds of the surrounding wood echoing through the trees "We should probably head back to camp, I am supposed to be collecting firewood," Shianni twisted looking around, "Brian is probably still stumbling around looking for me."

Elissa simply nodded mutely as they stood and began their walk back, they found Brian not that far from the camp, firewood already collected, as they made their way in to camp, Elissa stopped lightly brushing her fingers over Shianni's arm to get her attention.

"Thank you; I haven't really been able to speak about them since I heard what happened."

Shianni smiled "You should talk about them, they sound like amazing people, I wish I had gotten to know them."

"They were." She said as she smiled at the memory of her family.

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**So are we surprised at the Shianni and Elissa interaction? I hadn't really written much about her so far but i thought she'd fit in nicely here, in the game you never see or hear anything about her mother or father so I decided to make up my own little story about her origins and I kno the city elfs mother is killed by humans so I thought I'd mix it up a bit. It was also an opportunity to talk about the Cousland family, give you a little bit more information on Aedens character. Honestly this chapter was the hardest to write so far, so reviews would very much be welcome, want to kno what you thought of it? **


	16. Chapter 16 Hell Outta Dodge

**I'm ****_soooo sorry_**** that this is so late! Been really busy and I've fallen behind on my writing, I'm hopefully gonna catch up and post another chapter before the week is up. Enjoy!**

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He awoke to a harsh throbbing in his head that clouded his mind like a thick fog; his eye lids were heavy, his throat dry, every inch of him hurt and he couldn't remember why.

Had he been drinking with that crazed soldier Hawke again? He thought he would have learnt his lesson after waking up at the quartermasters with no britches on.

He groaned as he lifted his leaden arms to try to scrub the pain behind his eyes away. He opened his eye to the cutting light of the sun forcing him to close them again. He cursed quietly as it sent a stab of pain through his skull.

"Ah, awake I see." He flinched when he heard the voice, sitting upright in the bad willing his eye to focus on the other person in the room he had just became aware of.

"W-what? W-who are you? Where am I?" the thick fog began to clear as his mind begun to recall what had lead him here. "The battle, what happened?"

His vision had focused enough for him to recognise the woman that had given him the grey warden treaties. Her eyes where yellow, her cheeks sullen and hair grey and limp.

"Your battle, I'm afraid, was lost young man, as was your King and fellow grey wardens." Her face was serious and stony showing no emotions as she gave the news.

"What? How is that possible? Loghain the charge? His voice was quiet as he felt his stomach sink and his heart swell in his chest from the shock and pain of the words. His eyes widened as he remember, the tower, the ogre, and being overwhelmed by darkspawn. "The tower, how did I get out? Lyna and Neria are..?"

"The man who was to lead the second charge on the darkspawn abandoned the field. Thankfully I was able to save you and your friends from the tower, though you were all injured but that was nothing I couldn't take care of."

He was relieved they were still alive, but the feeling was quickly smothered by a gut retching sense of loss. They were dead, all of his friends, Duncan, all gone. Still in shock he did not hear the last thing the woman said before she left him alone in the small room. He did not know how long he sat in the tiny bed lost in grief too strong for tears, until he stumbled to where his armour and sword sat.

Now was not the time for tears, he told himself, he had to talk to Lyna and Neria, they were the last grey warden left in all of Ferelden, three of them against an army.

He stepped outside the small hut to feel the chill of the wilds seep through even his splinter mail, shielding his eye from the sun he looked to see the two elven women talking at the edge of the swamp, a large wolf lying next to Lyna's feet stood up quickly announcing his presence. The both turned to look at him, Lyna placing a hand on top of the wolves head as it sat down passively again.

"Alistair! Thank the Maker your alright! You've been out for over two days, we were beginning to worry you wouldn't wake up." the relief was visible as her shoulders relaxed and a sad smile spread across her face, before it was replaced with worry and fear "Maker Alistair, the King, the wardens, Duncan their all dead, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know, if it wasn't for Morrigan's mother we'd all be dead."

"I have a name young man." The old women suddenly appeared by their side as Lyna walked over to meet them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... but you never told us your name, what do we call you?"

"Asha'bellanar" the turned as Lyna spoke, nodding her heard as a sign of respect to the old woman.

She threw her head back as she laugh, "Ah yes, the Dalish have such a way with words, calling me an old woman, the Chasined folk call me Flemeth however."

"The Flemeth?" Alistair's eyes widened in disbelief, "Then Daveth was right you are the witch of the wilds, aren't you?"

"And what does that mean? I know a bit of magic and it has served you all well, has it not?"

"She is Asha'bellanar; she is very powerful and respected among the Dales." Lyna said as she was trying to reassure them

"Then why didn't you save Duncan? He is… was our leader."

"I am sorry for your Duncan, but your grief must come later... in the dark shadows before you take vengeance, as my mother once said, duty must come now." She looked over them all before she spoke again. "It has always been the grey warden's duty to unite the lands against the Blight. Or did that change when I wasn't looking?"

"This land is hardly united thanks to Loghain." Neria scowled at the thought of the man who had abandoned them all to die.

"This all doesn't make any sense why would he do it?" Alistair shook his head in disbelief.

"Now that's a good question. Men heart hold shadows darker than any tainted creature. Perhaps he believes the darkspawn are an army he can outmanoeuvre. Perhaps he does not see that the evil behind it is the true threat."

"The Archdemon." Alistair said somberly.

"Great, there are three of us against an army of darkspawn and an old god that's now a dragon, this will be easy." Neria sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Surely the grey wardens have allies they can call upon in times of a Blight?" Flemeth asked.

"The treaties, the grey wardens can demand aid from the dwarves, elves and the mages." Alistair seemed to pick up at the thought that not all was lost. "And then there's Arl Eamon he was the Kings uncle, he won't stand for what Loghain has done, the Landsmeet won't stand for it."

"He'll believe us over the Teyrn?" Neria asked.

"I know him he's a good man respected in the Landsmeet. He wasn't at Ostagar; he still has all of his men; we could go to Redcliffe and appeal for his help."

"Sounds like an army to me." Flemeth said with a smirk.

"So can we do this, go to these places and build an army?" Alistair looked at the two elven women hoping they would agree.

"I have a debt to settle, and this seems the path to take to see it paid." Lyna felt Neria take a sideways glance at her, knowing what debt she was referring to.

"So you are set then? Ready to be grey wardens?"

"It seems so." Neria said with a small smirk and a shrug of her shoulders.

"Allow me to offer you one last bit of help," Flemeth smiled "Morrigan." Alistair watched as the young woman they had met in the wilds was told she would be coming with them, though she did not seem pleased about being sent away.

"Lyna, you do know there is a wolf behind you, right?" he had seen the wolf when he had left the hut earlier though his mind had been too clouded to actually take much notice of it.

"It is the wolf we helped in the wilds before the joining; he found me here, like me he has a debt, he wishes to follow me in order to pay it."

"Riiight, as long as he doesn't try to eat me in my sleep, or anything." They quickly readied themselves and begun the walk to the village of Lothering outside of the wilds.

They had been walking for only a few hours when Alistair could feel the slight scratching at the back of his mind that had become all too familiar as of late, "I can sense darkspawn ahead."

"Ugh is that what that feeling is?" Neria asked as she ran her finger through her short white hair before pulling her staff from its strap, twisting it in her hand before holding it ready to cast. The other follow suit readying their weapons, Lyna notched an arrow as the wolf crouched down low next to her growling softly.

Nine darkspawn ran towards them from the surround trees and bushes. Morrigan and Neria threw balls of fire, lighting and ice at the creatures; Lyna shot arrows in quick succession, while Alistair ran ahead ramming his shield in to the Hurlock Alpha. When they had finally killed the last of them he noticed a large Mabari hound stood in front of Neria.

"I think this is the Mabari I help in Ostagar." She knelt down and scrubbed the hound's fur.

"I think he's been looking for you, he's chosen you. Mabari are like that. They call it imprinting." Alistair said putting his sword and shield away as he walked t meet them.

"Are there any more, mangy beast you have help that will be following us?" Morrigan scoffed. Lyna's wolf grunted at Morrigan in response.

"I've always wanted a dog; we weren't allowed to have pets in the tower." Neria smiled before ruffling the dog fur again. The dog barked happily as it waged its tail.

"Well, what will you call him?" he asked.

"Her." Lyna said.

"What?"Alistair turned to her, slightly confused.

"The Mabari is female." She stated.

"And how do you know that?" he crossed his arms as he looked at the elf.

She raised an eye brow at him as she smirked, "That is a talk your elders should have had with you long ago."

Neria giggled as the young wardens face pinked slightly, "Never mind forget I asked." Looking to Neria again he repeated, "Well what are you going to call _her_ then?"

"I don't know; any ideas?" she looked towards the both of them.

"What about Barkspawn?" He said laughing slightly.

She smirked "Clever, but I think I've thought of one, Hati. It's from an old Chasined myth I read once in the circle, the wolf that chased the moon." The dog barked happily at the name.

"Come on we do not have all day, 'tis far to Lothering and we have a Blight to deal with. Least you have forgotten." Morrigan said as she begun to walk ahead of them.

Alistair sighed before he began to follow; he was beginning to not like this Morrigan.

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**Little mention of Hawke there ;) and we've returned to our Grey Wardens. I decided to change it up a bit in this chapter as everyone has probably read the same scene in a couple different fics and I wanted to write it from a different view point, let me kno what you think. Also new pairing info is up! some people guessed but it's a pairing that I find there is a complete lack of but that I find really interesting. **


	17. Chapter 17 Silence

**Had a mad rush for writing this week, done at lest four chapters in 2 days, and I have finally got some of our heroes to Redcliffe, were they met with a few others ;) so we now return to Aeden and is walk through the forest.**

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Aeden was exhausted; he and the elven woman had been walking for several hours. The sun was now high in the sky beating down on him through the gaps in the browning leaves. His lack of sleep was making him jittery, almost hyper aware of everything that was going on, he felt as though he had too much energy and yet not enough. Each step jarred his unhealed injuries and sent spikes in to his joints and muscles.

His skin felt hot and itchy under his armour, he wanted to stop and rest but he knew he couldn't he had to get to Redcliffe, he had to find his brother and sister and get word to the King of Arl Howe betrayal.

He looked over to the Elven woman, her bruises from last night had completely disappeared, and the heat of the forest and the uneven terrain did not seem to faze her. She hadn't even broken a sweat.

_"Must be out of shape"_ he thought with a self deprecating smirk.

They had walked in silence for so long, with only the soft sounds of the forest around them, that when the Elven woman Keeli spoke; he nearly allowed his foot to slip.

"Why were those _Shemlen _chasing you?"

His mouth was dry and his voice felt cracked from lack of used. He ran his hand through his hair pulling the long strands back from his face _"I'll have to cut it soon"_ he though absent-mindedly. He concentrated on the placement of his feet on the uneven ground, swallowing thickly before testing his voice.

"They were trying to kill me." His voice was as cracked and tasted like gravel on his tongue, he almost wondered if she had been able to understand the words he had croaked out until she questioned him again.

"Why?" he could see from the corner of his eye how her brow came together in confusion and her mouth pursed at the question.

He struggled to answer that question, there were a hundred reasons why he should be dead though there were a hundred more reason why this shouldn't have happened in the first place. He believed that if he tried to question it too much, look at it too closely, he was likely to crack like his voice. He did not have time to stop and take stock of what he had lost what he could lose still. So he gave the simplest answer he could: "Because, I lived."

Keeli brow smoothed again at his words, she did not question what he had said, just accept it for the truth that is was. The confusion cleared from her eyes as her expression became blank, nodding her head, the silence returned as they continued.

The sun had begun to drop in the sky as they kept walking, though Aeden still felt too hot in his armour, he could feel his shirt stick to his back as he sweated. He concentrated on breathing deeply though the pain that continued to shoot through him. The bandages over the small cut on his right arm itched as the fabric rubbed against his shirt and armour.

A hand came out and grabbed his forearm, halting all of his thoughts as he looked over to the woman, confusion and fear flickered over her face as her eye darted around the trees faster than he could follow.

"Wha-" he cut himself off when he seen her finger pressed lightly to her lips then brought up towards her pointed ear. He glance around straining to listen, to hear whatever she might of heard that cause her to stop so quickly.

"The sound, it is gone." she whispered, he realised then that there forest was completely silent. The leaves of the trees did not even bristle as the soft breeze flowed through the air.

He reached down for his sword and shouldered off his shield too run his arm through the leather straps. The soft ring of metal as his sword came from its sheath seemed to rubble and echo loudly through the air. Until ever thing was still, frozen for a perfect moment before hell came crashing through the trees like thunder.

Four creatures that looked more like skeletons than man, their gray and marred skin stretched over their bones teeth jagged baying for blood, screamed as they charged towards them sending the vibration in to his bones.

Quickly recovering he nudged Keeli behind him bring his shield up to block the first attack from one of the smaller of the creature quickly pushing it back before bring his shield to block a bolt send by another small creature still standing by the tree.

"RUN!" he shouted back at the elf and began to back away from the monsters shield and sword at the ready. He felt more than heard her comply as her heat left his side. He quickly cut down one of the taller creatures that had stupidly tried to charge him, slicing his sword in an arch to bring it across its throat. Another bolt went flying passed, missing his neck by inches. Two of the short creature made their way towards him as the third prepared to fire another bolt. He allowed them to charge towards him as he tried to move further in to the coverage of the trees. He cut out at one of the creatures that side stepped him easily he shifted his footing to push his left arm out to bash his shield in to its chin slicing along its stomach as he swept his arm out. He fought the urge to vomit as the creature black blood stained cuts spilled out from the wound.

The second creature swung out at him with a giant maul, he twisted to avoid the hit but could not miss it completely at the flatten end of the giant maul slammed in to his torso sending him backwards. He struggled to catch his breath as the creature hefted the weapon up bring over his head with both arms when he froze in place. He looked around to see green glowing symbol underneath its feet.

Not caring to question he good luck yet, he shouted as he brought his sword down over its head, cutting it off in one swing. He looked down at the creature fallen head as the rest of its body crumpled to the ground.

Looking around he seen the elf Keeli standing by a tree, her hand glowing with residual magic. He smiled at her, a large smile that crinkled his eyes and showed a small flash of his white teeth, he probably looked crazed to her in that moment.

The whistle of an arrow flying past him drew his attention behind him in time to see it imbed itself in to the creature that had been firing bolts at him earlier. He looked round again to see three more elves standing beside Keeli, all looking at him with wary eyes.

"Thanks," he said still smiling "forgot about that one." He felt a laugh bubble up in his throat, but as he opened his mouth he was greeted with the taste of copper and bile and blood burst forth. He was dimly aware of it trailing down in to his beard as he fell to his knees and in to a sweet abyss.

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**Ooo I do so love writing Aeden chapters, they always turn out to be the best for cliff hangers :P and I'm afraid to say you'll all have to wait a while to find out what happens, Mwahahaha lol hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Don't forget to drop me a review. Also updated my summary, cause I don't really like it lol  
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	18. Chapter 18 It Pays to Advertise?

**So I've actually written more that I though I had, there was an accidental miss labeling of the chapters lol so here is chapter 18! yay and sadly will not be finding out more about our dear Aeden yet, I'm gonna be evil and let you stew :P. Have had a good response to the last couple of chapters and I am all excited to see what you this of this one, enjoy!**

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"Well there it is, Lothering, as pretty as a painting" Alistair said with a sigh. They had been travelling for three days now, after the encounter with the darkspawn the road had been quieter until they got closer to the village where bandits had been attacking the refugees. After running them off and collecting a few of their supplies they had walked the last mile to the village leaving Lyna's wolf and Neria's Mabari to hunt in the nearby wood.

"Ah, so you here finally decided to rejoin us, have you? Falling on your blade in grief seemed like too much trouble I take it?" Morrigan sneered at Alistair.

Lyna turned to the witch, she had ignored most of her snide comments about them all and had bitten her tongue knowing that the mage was looking for confrontation, but after days of travelling, nightmares and being away from her clan with her own grief fresh in her mind she let her eyes burn as she glared at the woman.

"Morrigan, shut up and do not make light of others grief or leave right now." They all stared at the young Dalish woman as she glared daggers at the witch, all shocked at the sudden break in her silence. Not waiting for a response from her, Lyna looked back towards the village.

"Where will we be able to hear news of what's happened? We need to find out if that bandit was telling the truth."

"We would be able to hear some news at the tavern, and at the Chantry." Alistair said, stumbling over his words slightly as he recovered from his shock. "The Chanter's board usually has a few jobs listed; we might be able to get some money for more supplies."

Lyna scowled slightly at the thought of going to the shem'len Chantry, "I think I would prefer the tavern."

The others agreed and they made their way across the village towards the tavern. The village was surrounded by tents cots and bed roll, many people watched a eyed their weapons cautiously. Lyna felt slightly uneasy as the humans kept stealing glances at her, not many Dalish would venture in to a Shem'len village and the many eyes watching her was making her feel uneasy. She shook herself mentally as they came closer to a large building that she assumed must be the tavern, it smelt of mead and vomit.

The small only got worse when they entered, mixing in with the scent of sweat and over cooked food, Lyna wrinkled her nose at the smell. Neria looked around the tavern excitedly as they made their way to the bar.

"Well, look what we have here men. I think we've just been blessed." They all turned to be meet by a small group of five well armoured men, the patrons of the tavern watched with wide curiosity as the men stepped closer to the group, a few taking a step away to avoid the notice of them.

"Didn't we spend all morning asking about a fellow by this very description? And everyone said they hadn't seen him?" another guard stood up beside the first one that hand spoken, gesturing towards Alistair.

"It seems we were lied to" he replied darkly.

"No we only just got in town," Neria said, appearing cool and calm and she weaved the beginnings of an ice spell in the hand behind her back.

Alistair felt the trickle of magic stir up behind him and felt his body tense slightly before remember Neria and Morrigan. Lyna felt her hand twitch towards her dagger, knowing her bow would be of no use in such a small space, but before anyone could move a slim red haired woman, slightly taller than Lyna appeared in clothes she had seen people wear around the Chantry building, she groaned inwardly, she had come to the tavern to avoid running in to the manic shem'lens.

"Gentlemen, surly there is no need for trouble. These are no doubt simply more poor Souls seeking refuge" the woman spoke with a strange accent that Lyna hadn't heard before, though she couldn't help but wonder if she though these men were really going to believe that they were simple refugees arm and armoured as they were.

"They're more than that. Now stay at of our way, sister. You protect these traitors; you'll get the same as them."

"Looks like they want to fight, I'm happy to oblige." Neria quickly let go of the frost she had built up in her had blasting the men with ice and wind, knocking the three closest to the back of the tavern, there was a collective gasp from the other patrons of the tavern as they scrambled to get away from the fighting group. A guard ran forward towards Alistair, but before the guard could reach him the red hair sister hit him across the head with the flat side of a dagger.

Lyna notched an arrow and aimed for the leader as he struggles to regain his footing, ice still clinging to his armour, the arrow darter across the room cutting along the man's cheek before embedding itself in to the wall next to him.

The man quickly looked to the arrow; bring a hand up to touch the thin slice, when he gaze returned to the archer she already had another arrow trained on him.

"Stop now shem'len or I will make you." she glared down at the man pulling the bow string tighter.

"Alright, you've won; we surrender."

"Good, they've learned their lesson and we can all stop fighting now." The sister walked over, to stand next to Alistair.

"They will take a message to this Loghain, it would be better to kill them now." Morrigan spoke calmly.

Lyna began to massage the bridge of her nose as they began to argue what was to be done to the men; it was Neria voice that interrupted the noise.

"If they are going to bring Loghain a message, let's make it a good one," she said as she stepped towards the guard. He was easily a foot taller than her but she lifted her hand and created a swirl of ice and snow with her palm.

Neria managed a smile that looked slightly manic as the man eyed the magic in her hand with fear. "You are going to return to Loghain and tell him that we know what he did, and we're going to make sure everyone else does too."

When the guards where gone the red haired sister turned towards them, "I apologise for interfering, but I couldn't just sit by and not help. Let me introduce myself, I am Leliana one of the lay sisters of the Chantry here in Lothering, or I was."

"Was?" Neria asked looking the woman up and down.

"Those men said you were grey wardens, you will be battling the darkspawn, yes? That is what the grey wardens do? I know after what happened you will need all of the help you can get. That's why I'm coming along."

Lyna raised an eye brow as they all stared wide eyed at her, "Wait, what?" Neria asked blinking and shaking her head.

"Tu vir ar 'Dorf'len' Vallas an'mara?" Lyna asked rubbing her hands over her face. The others looked over to the woman as she cursed in elvish.

"What's she saying?" Leliana leaned over and whispered to Neria.

"I don't know! Just because I'm an elf doesn't mean I speak elvish." She gave the woman a slight glare before Lyna began to speak in common again addressing them all.

"You cannot come with us" She said.

"But I must the Maker told me to."

"Well at lest someone's on our side." Alistair said with a hint of a smile.

"What do you mean, 'the Maker told you too'?" Neria asked.

"I know it sounds-"

"Insane? Mad? Nutty nuts? Wacky? Bat shit crazy?" Neria provided as the woman's face turned a slight shade of purple.

"It's true! I had a dream, a vision." She said cutting off anything else Neria might of said, "This darkness, this chaos will spread and the Maker doesn't want this. What you do, what you are meant to do, is the Makers work. Let me help!"

"A moment," Alistair said turning towards Neria and Lyna "can we talk, over there please." He pointed over towards the kitchen before he began to walk away.

Neria and Lyna followed, leaving Morrigan standing where she was leaning against the wall ignoring the other woman who was watching them go.

"You can't be thinking of taking her with us?" Neria asked as they joined him next to the kitchen.

"Well, not join us, but look around this place" he said as his hand swept around the tavern. "I haven't seen any of the Bann's men here, this village is completely defenseless, if we leave her here she'll probably die when the darkspawn come."

"So what we take her with us?" Neria asked raising an eyebrow at him.

"We let her travel with us to the next village and then we can leave her there, and if she prove useful she can stay, I know she seems crazy but it's more 'oo pretty colours' than 'I'm princess stabbity! Stab, kill, kill'... I vote to bring her along even if it is just till the next village."

Lyna rubbed her hands over her face as she sighed, "Fine she can come."

"What?" Neria asked looking at her shocked

"It's better than leaving her here to die." She said as she lifted her head from her hands to look at them both.

"Fine," Neria scoffed, "But if she starts talking about the Maker non-stop it won't be the darkspawn you'll have to worry about" Alistair laughed lightly as he walked over to speak to the sister again.

"Perhaps your skull was cracked worse than mother though." Morrigan spoke pulling herself from the wall she was leaning on.

"Come on we came here to find out information." Lyna turned and walked towards the barkeeper.

After stocking up on supplies and gaining what little knowledge the barkeeper had they left the tavern. The sun had raised higher in the sky cause them to squint after being in the dark building for so long.

Lyna glanced around the village spotting a cage to her right, inside was the largest man she had ever seen. His skin was dark and his blonde hair was pulled back from his face and fell down past his shoulders. She walked over and stopped at the cage, hearing the man speaking in a strange foreign tongue.

"You aren't one of my captors. I will not amuse you any more than I have the others, leave me in peace."

"I have never seen someone who looks like you." Lyna stated as the others joined her.

"The Revered mother said he slaughtered an entire family. Even the children" Leliana spoke before the prisoner could say anything.

"It is as she says, I am Sten of the Beresaad- the vanguard of the qunari peoples."

"Qunari?" Neria asked a look of interest flashed across her face.

"It matters little now, I will die soon enough."

"This is a proud and powerful creature, trapped as prey for the darkspawn. If you cannot see a use for him, I suggest releasing him for mercy's sake alone." Lyna didn't turn to look at Morrigan as she spoke, watching Sten in the cage carefully.

"Mercy? I wouldn't have expected that from you." Alistair voiced behind her.

"I would also suggest that Alistair take his Place in the cage."

"Yes, that I would of expected."

"I suggest you leave me to my fate." Sten interrupted their arguing bring the other attention back to cage.

"Do you not want to seek atonement?" Lyna asked.

"Death will be my atonement."

"Death is not atonement, death is easy and a cowards way out, atonement is not." She glared slightly "We are Grey Wardens, why not come with us and battle the blight."

"You are a grey warden then. My people have heard legends of the Grey Warden's strength and skill… though I suppose not every legend is true."

"They play down some of the heroics." Neria said giving the Qunari a slight scowl.

Lyna rolled her eyes before continuing "Would this Mother release you?"

"Perhaps if she was told the Grey Wardens needed me."

She nodded before turning back to look at the other, she called Neria and Alistair away from the others. "I think we should being him with us." She stated.

"I don't know, the Qunari are known for being great warriors, but he did kill a whole family." Alistair said as he looked round to Sten.

"I'm not discounting that, we would watch him carefully." Lyna added

"I think we should see if we can get the key to the cage before we start deciding what we will do." Neria said pointedly. "We don't know if we can get him out yet, let along take him with us."

Lyna sighed "Alistair, will you take Leliana and see if this Mother will give you the key, if she is likely to give to someone it should be a former sister and an almost templar."

Alistair nodded "Neria, do you know what that thing the barkeeper was speaking about, the board?"

"The Chanter's board?" Neria asked, slightly amused that Lyna hadn't heard of it before.

"Yes, can you and Morrigan go a take all of the jobs you can find? I am going to see if I can find any more information and help any of the villagers I can."

They each split up, Lyna managed to pass the time until Alistair returned with the key to Stens cage by helping the village elder collect herbs for medicine, and building traps for one of the women in the village.

Neria and Morrigan were the last to return, when they did Lyna heard Neria mumble about greedy merchants. They met Hati and the wolf at the out skirts of the village and begun to set up their tents, too tired to stay awake long enough to eat, Lyna unrolled her bed roll and fell in to a deep sleep as soon as she lay down.

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**Okay I'm not gonna be all hating on Morrigan but just always bothered me that loads of people died and she just kinda didn't see why someone would be upset, also though it was ridiculous that there was no option to call her up on it, I mean nearly every Origin has someone close to you that dies? but yes we've now added a few more people to our little team, and I've finally got one group meeting up with the other in the later chapters I've written, it's all a go in Redcliffe at the moment :P**

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_Also I kno I keep forgetting to do this every time I butcher it, but the Elvish : Tu vir ar 'Dorf'len' Vallas an'mara? = "Do we have Grey Warden written on us?"_


	19. Chapter 19 Nightmare

**Just a short one this week, tho if I power through a few more chapters I'll probably post again before next week. We still haven't returned to our dear Aeden, but we're taking a detour to the mind of our little Lyna, Enjoy! Loads of Angst btw, There will be fluff soon... I think...  
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Her reflection looked strange in the mirror, everything around her was shrouded in darkness, and the only light seemed to be the eerie glow that came from the glass. The image the mirror showed herself, though she looked different, her eyes where darker, her skin slightly grey. Her reflection smiled at her as she stared, the smile was unnatural, her lips were almost purple and her mouth filled with too many teeth that were stained black.

She heard a loud bang echo from behind her; she looked round quickly trying to see through the dark fog. She looked back towards the mirror finding her reflection had disappeared, replaced by Tamlen.

She gasped as she took a step away from the mirror, Tamlen was different not unlike her own reflection had appeared, but worse, much worse. His skin was a dark shade of grey his eyes black and empty; he face was gaunt, he bones stood out against his skin, his lips where black with ichor and dripped down his chin.

"Tamlen" she whispered. Tamlen eyes meet hers and a large grin slowly crawled on to his face, the black lips split showing too many pointed black stained teeth.

Tamlen's grin became feral as he banged his fist on the glass of the mirror, snarling and screaming at her. He rammed and punched at the glass in a rage, desperate to get at her.

"Nae Tamlen, Emma abelas," she sobbed at the creature that her friend had become. his angry inhuman cries seemed to echo and grow louder. "Emma abelas, Emma abelas lethallan, Emma din'an na eth."

She repeated shouted the words over the sound of Tamlen's screams and the sound of cracking glass as the mirror began to break under the stain of Tamlen's attack. She wanted to run to hide from Tamlen, from what he had become, from the fate she had left him too.

The glass finally shattered, and Tamlen roared, it shook and echoed around the room, the vibration making her dropping down to her knees. Tamlen paused to glance at her before he charged towards her.

"Nae Tamlen, Nae! Tamlen! TAMLEN."

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**So I was reading this fic and at the end of it the writer had said that they where only gonna post the next chapter after they got so many reviews... **

**Don't worry I'm not that cruel... Or am I? lol hope you all enjoyed it! it's my first nightmare scene so let me kno what you think.**

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**Elvish:** "Nae Tamlen, Emma abelas" = "No Tamlen I'm sorry."

"Emma abelas lethallan, Emma din'an na eth" = "I'm sorry brother, I couldn't keep you safe."


	20. Chapter 20 Plan of Action

**So we're 20 chapters in! I have no idea how long this is gonna be but well celebrate getting this far by saying thank you to everyone who's favourited and following this story! So thank you Andrigno, AssassinInShadow, Badger2430, Chickenking, Chocobonight, DarkReaver724, Grey Jackett, Ioialoha, Ironman088, Mesoham, Ransor, Lurker46, Mike3207, Seffora, Sesshylovers, Stark' , SnowHelm, SurvivorHawke, Yuki-sama12, deacon1217, meadowinfatuation, bananamonkey86, mr. munchies, .3! :D**

**Now we return to our wardens!**

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Lyna woke with a gasp, bolting up-right in her bed roll, Tamlen's name dying on her lips. Taking calming deep breaths she ran her hands over her face, swiping at tears that lay hidden in the sweat. She closed her eyes feeling her breath even out, the dull roar of her blood quieted as her heart rate slowed down.

"Are you alright?" Lyna jumped and turned towards the voice, Alistair was sitting a few feet away, the waning glow of the fire lighting the left side of his face as his upper body was turned towards her.

"Yes, I'm fine, just another nightmare." They had stayed in Lothering for a another day to help the refugees and had started back on the road the day before, when Neria had had her first nightmare Alistair had explained to them about their connection to the Arch Demon and how we would be able to hear it in their dreams. Though Lyna's nightmares came more often than Neria's, her nightmares had started before the joining, after she had been tainted in the forest and had lost Tamlen.

Lyna stood and walked over to the small cart that they had been using to store their belongings, the two dwarves they had saved outside of Lothering had meet them again on the road, Bodahn and Sandal had agreed to help carry their supplies on their cart as well as offering them discounts on enchantments and any goods Bodahn was selling in return for travelling and camping with them. Lyna rummaged through her pack, not noticing Alistair had followed her over until he spoke.

"Do you want to talk-"

"No" she said cutting him off, "I'm going to go hunting,"

Lyna quickly threw her leather armour on over her brown tunic and black britches grabbing her bow and her quiver, It was still early light and extra food was always welcome at breakfast, she called over the wolf who stood and joined her at her side as she heading out of the camp.

Alistair watched her as she went, every conversation her had with the young Dalish elf left him wondering if he had done something wrong. He wasn't used to dealing with Dalish elves, there had been one with the warden's though he had mostly kept to himself, and now Alistair was constantly wondering if he had offended her. He signed deeply as he turned back towards the camp; Morrigan had yet to venture out of her tent that was set up further away from the others, Leliana was still asleep in her tent. Sten stood off to the side watching them silently while Neria used her magic to rekindle the dying flames of the camp.

Weighing his options he made her way over towards Neria as the best choice of company, as he walked over towards the mage he heard her muttering and complaining under her breath about fire spells.

"Not your favourite spell I guess." He asked as he sat down next to her, she had tried to stroke the flame to catch the slightly damp logs that they had collected the night before but, every time it seemed as though they would light the fire quickly retreated after.

"No, I prefer lightening and ice spells, my friend Dylan was always one to get better used out of fire casting, he was a little older than us and completed his Harrowing three years before me; used to always help me and Jowan with them but he stopped helping me when I accidentally set the skirt of his robes on fire, he still has a bald patch on his left leg." Neria smiled sadly at the memory of her friends, she had been excited to leave the tower behind but she missed her friends, it was strange; knowing that she wasn't going to be able to see them every day as she had before.

"Do you miss the tower?" Alistair asked bring her out of her memories.

Neria's eyebrows drew together and brow creased, as her eye became slightly glazed and focused on something in the distance.

"It's hard to explain, I don't miss the Templars or the actually tower, but I miss my friends Dylan and Jowan, we used to see each other every day and now I'm not sure when I'll ever see them. Sometimes I even miss some of the enchanters and the routine, every hour used to be planned and now it's not. I'm not even stuffed in to a room with thirty other apprentices."

"You know you might see your friends sooner than you think, one of the treaties we have is for the Circle of Magi." Alistair pointed out.

"It would be nice to see them again," Neria smile before she looked round to Alistair, "So, what happened with Lyna? I noticed she made herself scarce after she woke up this morning."

Alistair sighed again his shoulder sloping, "She had another nightmare," her scratched as his neck nervously, "I tired asking her about it but she just ran out saying she was going hunting. I'm a little worried that she's having so many nightmares, I know they are worse during a blight but you don't seem to have as many as she does."

"Hmm…" Neria hummed thoughtfully, "It could be that she was tainted before she joined, or even because of her friend…" Neria voice tailed off at the end of the sentence.

"What happened?" Alistair asked.

"Oh, aah that's something you should wait for Lyna to tell you, it's not really my story to tell." Neria said quickly.

"I don't think she'll tell me anyway, she doesn't really talk to anyone much besides you and Sten sometimes." Alistair pointed out.

"She's just not used to being around humans. Honestly I think she's only ever met a handful before she left her clan and I don't think any of them left a good impression on her. So just relax and give her some time to get used to you." Neria slapped him across the shoulder and smile before she stood to find some dry kindle to help the fire stay lit until breakfast could be made.

Lyna returned not long after the others had awoken, after quickly cooking the few rabbits and fowl she had managed to catch the three wardens took out their map of Ferelden and the treaties to decide where to go first. The map was spread out in front of them as the other went about dismantling the camp.

Alistair laid out the three Treaties before marking each location with a small piece of lead, "Well we have the Circle of Magi, The Dwarfs of Orzammer and the Dalish, as well as Arl Eamon in Redcliff, so which one will we go to first? Gherlens pass will be hard to get through this late in the year, and if we manage to get there before the first frost sets in we could end up stuck in blizzard on the way back."

"Okay, so we'll leave the Dwarves until later." Neria said before looking over to Lyna "What about the elves? I know your clan was heading north when we left, but there are other clans we might find in the Brecilian forest."

"The clans will be hard to find, they move around a lot before the first frost to gather supplies and find somewhere safe to wait out the winter. It's not impossible to find them but it will be elvar- ah, not easy." Lyna stumbled trying to hide her mistake.

Neria smiled at Lyna slightly pink ears before Alistair coughed to bring their attention back, "So no Elves and no Dwarves, that leaves the Circle and Redcliffe."

"Redcliffe seems to be closer, it may help to go there and collect better supplies. What we have is not bad, but the weather will worsen soon, and winter supplies would be better." Lyna said.

"The Circle isn't far from Redcliffe either, we could go there after." Neria said with a slight smile, thinking of seeing her friends again.

"So you are sure this Eamon will help us?" Lyna asked looking over at Alistair.

"Yes, the Arl wouldn't stand for what's being done."

"How can you be so sure?"

Alistair sighed before he continued, "Because Arl Eamon helped raise me until I was elven." That earned him a wide eye look from Neria.

"What? Why?...?" she trailed off as she failed to find the correct words to form the right question.

"My mother was a maid at the castle, he took me in when she died giving birth to me, and before you ask; I am not the Arl's son. He knew who my father was and took me in until I was elven and was sent to live in the monastery."

"Why were you sent away at elven?" Lyna asked her eyebrows draw in confusion.

"Because when he married the Arlessa, she didn't appreciate the rumours about me being the Arl's son."

"You shem'len confuse me…" Lyna said as she stood up.

"Yes well, now that that's settled, we going to Redcliffe, I guess should take us a day and a half, depending on how fast we go." Alistair said gather up the map and treaties, placing them back in to the small pouch in his pack, leaving Neria still sitting with a dumbfounded look on her face.

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**Sorry this chapter was up a bit late I've fallen a bit behind, but shall hopefully be back on track soon enough! We're getting closer to Redcliffe! :P **


	21. Chapter 21 Lost in Translation

**So.. sorry this took so long, I've been a bit busy, but i haven't stopped writing I've literally not had time to proof read and post it lol so we now return to our dear awkwardly brilliant Aeden Cousland and his epic journey, enjoy!**

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Aeden slipped in and out of consciousness, during his brief motions of clarity he could hear murmured voices speaking though he couldn't hear what was said. His skin felt heated as he slipped in and out of memories and nightmares of familiar voices screaming and fire.

When he finally was able to break through his fevered haze his vision was clouded as he inhaled the smell of incense and herbs. He blinked rabidly and rubbed at his eyes to clear his vision; glancing around, he noticed he was in strangely shaped small room. The bed was pressed in to the back wall giving him a clear view through the long narrow room to the doorway. A table, were an assortment of herb and ingredients sat, along with the burning incense he could smell, was hidden away to the left with a small cupboard that stretched from the floor to the curved ceiling. a small stool and chest sat to the right under a very small round window, the small gape in the wooden shutters allowed a stretch of sunlight to break in to the room, lighting the mist left from the smoke.

As Aeden lay taking in his surroundings he remember the fight with the darkspawn, he pulled himself up realising for the first time that he was wearing nothing but a short pair of cotton shorts that seemed to fall short of his knees.

He winced slightly as he remember the shock and pain as the giant maul crashed in to him and the coppery taste of his own blood before his past out. Although the flesh was tender, he couldn't see any sign that he had been injured. The wound on his should had been tended to as well, though a substantial star shape scar had been left, joining the few he has gained as he fought his way out of his home.

As the wooden door swung open, Aeden attempted to sit up as a reflex gasping when his ribs protested at the sudden movement caused pain to bloom in his chest.

"Now child, I may have used my magic to heal you, but magic can only do so much. You will still need to rest." Aeden looked at the small Elvish woman that had entered; her grey hair was pulled back in to a bun, showing the extensive grey and silver tattoo that covered her entire face. The tattoo cover most of the wrinkles and worn lines on the woman's face making her appear younger at first glance; a closer look showed the deepening line around her eyes and mouth and the small creases in her forehead he remember his mother complaining where from the worry her children cause her.

"What…? Where am I?" Aeden asked the muscles in his body still pulled tight.

"What is it you remember?" The woman asked as she begun to gather and mix ingredients on the table.

"Ah, I remember being hit by one of the darkspawn…" he let the sentence tail off as the clattering echoed.

"Yes, Keeli was able to help heal you enough for you to be brought back to the camp, she told us of how you saved her from a group of humans in the forest, we are happy to repay the kindness you showed her."

Aeden felt a lump of dread drop in to his stomach, "It was nothing that needs to be repaid; they were in the forest searching for me. I cannot stay here; I am putting your camp in danger if they find me."

Aeden pulled his self up again attempting to bring his feet to rest on the ground, he was hit by the pain in his chest again and a sudden nausea hit him as he felt the blood drain from his face; a hand on his should brought his attention back to the woman again, she was holding out a small cup of a strange sweet smelling yellow liquid.

"Broken bones were not all that you suffered from," she said as she pointed to a seemly benign cut on his side, "it seems that you where cut with a poisoned dagger, thankfully the cut was small."

He looked down as the small cut, nearly completely healed, remembered a rogue barely catching his side in the forest. He hadn't even realised he had been poisoned.

"Ah… Sorry I don't know your name…" he finished sheepishly.

"You may call me Keeper Marethari." She said with a kind smile.

"Thank you, Keeper Marethari." He drank the yellow liquid in the cup, grimacing at the overly sweet taste. "How long have I been here?" he asked looking around his surrounding again.

"You have been here for three day's now. Keeli said you were going to a shem'len village?"

"Yes, I'm trying to get to Redcliffe."

"I am unsure of were that is, though I suggest you stay in the camp a little longer to make sure you have recovered. As for the others searching for you, we have preventing humans from finding our camps for many season, we can prevent them from hiding us for a day or two."

The Keeper turned away lifting a large glass jar, she lifted her right hand and caused a ball of light to appear in her hand before dropping the small orb in to the jar; allowing it to light up the small space. Aeden had jumped at the small display of magic cause the Keeper to stare at him questionably.

"Sorry, I've never meet a mage before, still a bit of a surprise." He said failing to stop his cheeks from heat up.

"Your clothes have been left in the chest; you are free to walk around the camp. Though I ask that you do not carry your weapons, many of the clan have been unsettled by a human's presence in the camp. The last human that entered the camp left with one of our da'len."

At the confused and shocked look on his face the Keeper continued, "She was conscripted in to the grey warden and taken to fight against them."

"She would be with the wardens at Ostagar; I am hoping to get a message to my brother there, if you wish I can carry a message to her for you."

"Ma serannas, that is very kind, I will say to the members of the clan."

With that she left, leaving him alone to dress, he pulled on his britches and shirts, pulling his armour on but leaving his weapons in the chest.

He blinked owlishly as the sunlight struck his eyes, looking around he realised he had been sleeping in what appear to be a large carriage, one of many carriages and tents that seemed to be dotted around the camp with many small fire pits.

Many of the Elves stopped to look over at him, some with curious looks others with suspicion and other with looks of contempt.

"You are awake." He looked to were the voice had come from seeing keeli walking over to meet him.

"Yes, thank you for helping me. Keeper Marethari said you healed me enough to bring me here. "

"Yes, we are not usually encouraged to use our magic when we are away from the camp, or in front of humans, but it was necessary."

Another woman appeared beside her similar in looks but older, her mother he thought. She clutched his hands as she spoke and began to speak rapidly in Elvish to him.

Confused a taken aback Aeden looked over to Keeli, who placed a gentle hand on the woman's arm and spoke calmly to her, before she turned to Aeden again.

"This is my Mamae, she is grateful for what you done."

"Ah, tell her I was happy to help."

He listened as she seemed to pass along his message; Keeli's mother seemed to thank him a few more times before leaving.

He took another glance around the Elves in the camp noting that a few had stopped glaring at him after the display from Keeli's mother.

"Do not worry, many in the camp are wary of humans, though it has worsened since the grey warden came and we lost Tamlen and Lyna."

"The Keeper mentioned that someone had left to join the Grey Wardens"

"Yes, something they had found in a cave while hunting made them sick, we were able to find Lyna in time though we were never able to find Tamlen, a few of us are still looking for something to tells us what happened to him before we move the camp further north."

"I said to Keeper Marethari that I would be sending a message to my brother at the army camp where the wardens are if anyone would like to send Lyna a message."

"Ma serannas, when will you be leaving?"

"The Keeper has suggested I stay and rest, though I shall be leaving as soon as I can, tomorrow maybe."

Keeli nodded before turning to him again "Come, I'm sure you are hungry we will find you something to eat." She said as she marched towards one of the fire pits where food was being cooked.

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**So some people might think this is being a little OOC for the Dalish, but I sort of thought the fact that he saved one of there's might make them repay that by helping him, I tired to keep it as close to character as possible cause I know they down like humans and that they would be wary about having one in the camp, especially if you have a Dalish origin that was taken away, hence the no weapons thing.**


	22. Chapter 22 Creature Feature

**So this was meant to be put up last week but, again really busy, have a load of people visiting atm and it's been hard trying to get a minutes to upload or even write, but do not fear, the updates will still be coming. **

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"Thank the Maker." Brian exclaimed as they reached the top of the hill over-looking the village of Redcliffe.

Elissa pulled her horse to a stop at the crest of the hill looking down at the small village harbour. The fading sun casting a deep orange glow that left purple and blue stains on the darken horizon.

"Come on, we can stop in the village for the night and request an audience with the Arl in the morning, I'm sure we'll be able to find some rooms for tonight." Elissa pulled the reins on her horse, Ruari following closely behind her while Jarvis and Brian directed the carriage.

Although much of the tension that had plagued the group after hearing of the death of the Couslands had left, Elissa and Ruari still remain quite in the group choosing more often to spend time speaking together of happy memories of Highever.

They stopped at the entrance of the village at the stables leaving the four horses and carriage to be looked after by a young man named Tomas, before making their way to the Tavern.

"Is there an inn far from here?" Elissa asked Tomas.

"Yes milady, there's a Tavern at the bottom of the hill on the way in to the village, it should have some rooms, we don't get many travellers to the village round this time of year."

"Thank you." Elissa said, handing the man extra silver.

The village market was closing as they made their way down in to the village. Last minutes buyer quickly made their way through the remaining stall as other closed for the night. They quickly navigated their way through the scattering crowd towards the tavern.

The bar smelled of ale and wood as saw dust was laid in the corners of the room that was beginning to fill with patrons.

"I'll go and see about getting us a few rooms." Ruari said as he made his way to the bar where an older red headed and pot bellied man stood.

Elissa and the others walk over toward a large unoccupied table at the back of the bar as they sat down a young red haired woman came over.

"Hello, I'm Bella, can I get you anything?" she said with a smile.

"I've got us a few rooms for the night but it looks like Soris, Jarvis, Brian and I shall be sharing again." Ruari said as he joined them at the table.

"That's fine Ruari, come on we'll get a hot meal and some nice mead, Maker know we could use it." Brian said directing a bright smile to the waitress.

"Well we do ha-" the waitress was cut off by the sounds of shouts and screams that rang out from the streets outside the tavern.

"What the-" Ruari began as the door to the tavern bust open and a crowd of people rushed in.

"What's happening?" Elissa asked as she made her way towards the front of the tavern.

"There are creatures coming from the castle!" a hysterical woman shouted

"Well close the door before you let them in to my pub!" The owner shouted as he made his way from around the bar.

"What creatures?" Elissa pressed ignoring the man.

"They look like the walking dead!"

Elissa turned to look at her party who were already gathering their swords and shield. "Does this place have a cellar?" she turned to look at the owner.

"What!?" he exclaimed

"A CELLAR? Does this place have a cellar?"

"Yes, but-"

"Take everyone you can down in to the cellar, anyone able to swing a blade come with me."

There was a loud shuffling in the room while people stood to gather weapons and others ran towards the back of the tavern.

"Now wait a minute, I can't bring all these people into my cellar! They'll steal anything they can get their hands on!"

Elissa felt her temper flare as she grabbed the front of the man's shirt in her fist, dragging him towards her till they were at eye level, "TAKE THESE PEOPLE TO THE CELLAR" she shouted at him before thrusting him away from her.

She made her way out of the tavern, closely followed by Jarvis, Brian, Soris, Ruari and Kallian. The streets where filled with fighting, as half armoured men fought against the strange skeleton like creatures. Elissa quickly jumped in to the fray as one charged towards her, she ducked and swerved to avoid being hit by its sword kicking at its leg to knock it to the ground before bringing her dagger down on to its neck. A bust of dust came from the creature before the bones seemed to collapse into the dirt.

"We need to get to the Chantry, get as many people we can where it's safe." They made their way in to the centre of the village killing any creature they came across, telling all of the villagers to head to the Chantry where a large group of the militia had already gathered.

Elissa made her way towards a large dark haired and bearded man who stood shouting directions. "What's happening here?" she asked him.

"Does it look like I know? These creatures just started making their way across the lake and attacking the village." He answered.

"Their coming from the castle!" a voice shouted out.

"We need to get archers into those buildings!" Elissa turned to see Kallian standing behind her looking down the road the creatures were coming from that headed towards the lake. "They'll be able to pick off a large number of them before they reach the rest of us."

"Good idea," Elissa said looking back at the man, "Get some archers in to the buildings."

"Excuse me, who are you to tell me anything! I'm the mayor of this damn village and I'll not sit and take orders from some woman and her Elf."

Elissa clenched her fist before bringing her hands up to indicate towards the family crest on her daggers. "I am Lady Elissa Cousland, Daughter of Bryce Cousland the Teyrn of Highever and I am ordering you to put some damn archers in those buildings."

Taken aback the man nodded with a dumbfounded face before moving to order the archers in to place.

The archers kept picking the creatures off as the rest of the militia took out those who had made it through while the villagers continued to run in to the Chantry. They fought for hours with only small breaks between waves of creatures until it stopped completely hours later.

"I think it's finished." Soris said as he dropped on to the ground exhausted, quickly joined by the others as they tried to catch their breath.

"We'll keep some men posted close to the lake in case anymore are spotted, the rest of you grab the wounded and head in to the Chantry." the dark bearded man said as he replaced his shield.

"Now you," he said as he made his way towards Elissa, she could see Kallian bristle near her as she gripped her dragger tighter. "Last I heard the Cousland's were all dead, so how'd you get here?"

"I am here to see Arl Eamon." Elissa said through gritted teeth, ignoring the man's question.

He paused for a moment, his eyes appeared to soften slightly before he spoke again, "Well, I'm Murdock, the Mayor and I'm afraid the Arl is sick, well last I heard he was. There hasn't been much traffic up to the castle except for a few of the kitchen staff."

"What about the Knights stationed here?" Ruari asked.

"Ha, what Knights? The Arlessa has been sending them out on a fool's errand looking for some magical cure for the Arl."

"There are no Knights stationed in the village?" Elissa asked in disbelief.

"Well no, but there are soldiers in the castle."

"There might not be any more if that's where these things where coming from," Brain said as he kicked at the remains of one of the creatures.

"We'll send someone to the castle in the morning; everyone should stay together in the Chantry in case there's another attack." The man sighed as he rubbed wearily at his face.

"There are a few people hidden in the cellar of the tavern." Kallian said, finally replacing her daggers.

"Lloyd actually let people in to his storage?" Murdock asked.

"He was persuaded." Elissa said without much humour.

"We'll send someone up to get them in to the Chantry."

"We'll go; we left our supplies and three of our party behind when the fighting started." Elissa said, after some quick promises to talk about what was to be done in the morning, they began the short walk towards the tavern. It had been a long night, and it seemed as though it was far from over.

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**Yay we've finally reached Redcliffe! Well some of our heroes have anyway. Have to say really like Elissa in this chapter, being bad ass as she is :P Really wont be long until our groups start to join up. Tho writing the beings of a few of the romances is being a bit of a pain in the ass! -_-**


	23. After The Night Of The Living Dead

**I actually wanted to post this earlier but my laptop had a melt down and i couldn't sign in, apparently it's something that can happen with windows updates. managed to fix it but because of that i haven't down much writing :( but here we go! it's the morning after the night of the living dead. Little surprise at the end of this chapter so ENJOY!**

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"We need to send out a quick rider to try and call back any of the Redcliffe Knights." Elissa and Murdock sat at the back of the Chantry, one of the few places in the over-crowded building that allowed them any privacy. Elissa rubbed tiredly at her eyes, they felt heavy like balls of led inside her skull, the events of the night before not allowing for much sleep.

"Tomas who works at the stables would be best, the last group of knights left the day before you arrived, if we're lucky he might be able to catch them."

"Very well, he may take my horse; it's built more for speed than power."

"The group of men that went up to the castle returned." The bother looked up as a young teenage boy with short brown hair ran towards them, speaking in-between gasps.

The both stood straighter as they made their way out of the Chantry as Ruari, Jarvis, Brian and a small group of the militia made their way through the construction of barricades that were being set up in the middle of the village centre.

"The gates of the castle have been sealed, we tried to pry them opened but it's impossible to get through in to the castle. There are no guards posted on the walls either, we shouted to see if anyone was there but there was no answer." Ruari said.

"Do you know of any other way into the castle?" Elissa asked Murdock.

"Not that I know of."

"Great, we should keep making up barricades in case any more of those creatures turn up tonight."

"What happened at the castle?!" a man stumbled out in to the middle of the crowd.

"Nothing Owen, the gates were seal, we couldn't get in." one of the men answered.

"But Valena! She was in the castle! You have to find her!" Owen shouted.

"Owen, there's nothing we can do, the castle is sealed shut." Murdock said calmly.

Owen's shoulders slumped as the strength in his legs seemed to leave him, two of the nearby militia soldiers grabbed at him, keeping him upright as they brought him away from the crowd.

"That's Owen the blacksmith, Valena his daughter worked as a maid in the castle." Murdock said with a sigh. "You should all try to rest before tonight."

"Let me know if anything happens." Elissa nodded as she began to wander around the village, watching as the last remaining defences were put up and the militia began to gather and hand out weapons and armour before entering the Chantry. Makeshift beds and cots had been brought in where the sisters and brothers where tending to those that had been wounded. Despite the surprise of the attack the quick response of the villagers had kept the causalities down.

She made her was over to an abandon cot that sat in the far corner of the room. She took off her sword belt and armour, keeping them close by, before she drifted off in to an uneasy sleep.

Not much time had passed until she was awoken again, by Kallian. "Elissa," she gently shook her shoulder as she called her back from the fade. "Elissa, there is another noble here, the Arl brother. Ruari said to come wake you."

As the mention of Bann Teagan, Elissa bolted up right in the small cot. "Teagan, he is here?"

"Yes, he just showed up a few moments ago just in front of Tomas, he's managed to find a few of the Redcliffe Knights."

Elissa swung her leg from the cot on to the ground and began to pull on her armour and dagger belt. "Thank you Kallian, can you bring me to him." with that she followed the Elf out in to the main chamber of the Chantry where she saw Ruari, Murdock , Teagan and who she assumed was one of the returning Knights.

Teagan look haggard and weary as he stood in the Chantry, dark circles surround his sunken blue eyes and his forehead was creased with worry. His brown hair had been hastily pulled back from his face and he looked as though he had not slept in days.

"Lady Cousland, I am glad to see you here." He said with a slight smile that faded as he continued, "When I heard about what had happened at Highever, and then everything that happened at Ostagar…" he left the sentence to trail off.

"Ostagar?" she asked feeling a dead weight land in his stomach, she stole a glance over to Ruari, who stood silent and refused to return her gaze, his red rimmed eyes stuck firmly on the ground ahead of his own feet. "What happened at Ostagar?" she repeated looking back at the grim set of Teagan's face before he continued.

"The Kings army was over run, Loghain showed up in Denerim a few days ago claiming himself regent. No one knows for sure what happened, he claims the Grey Wardens betrayed the King and left him for dead, though there are no wardens left to know if it's true. They, along with the King and half the army died at the battle."

"Fergus…" she said not sure if she was asking if he was still alive.

"I'm afraid I do not know, some of the army escaped, it is possible he is among them but, I would not hold out much hope." Teagan's voice dropped down to a whisper as he spoke.

She felt a hand grasp hers; she looked over to see Kallian standing beside her, keeping her eyes forward as she offered the small comfort. Elissa swallowed thickly before gripping her hand back.

"You've been told what has been happening here?" she asked.

"Yes, Murdock has been telling me, I did not know Eamon was so sick, I came as soon as Loghain announced his regency, I'm been riding constantly for five days, I had to purchase a new horse in one of the villages because I ran the risk of killing the other one, I was hoping Eamon would have been able to call a Landsmeet to put an end to Loghain's madness."

"And instead you find this mess." Murdock said gruffly.

"Yes and we can't expect any help from the Bannor after everything that has happened in Ostagar and Denerim, either they will have lost too many men fighting the darkspawn or they will be waiting for civil war to erupt."

"Then we need to find a way in to the Castle, it's where those things have been coming from, but the castle gates are closed, if there any other way in to the castle that you know of?" Elissa was grateful for Kallian speaking up, her throat felt tight and dry and she did not trust her voice.

"I may know of a way to get in to the castle, there is a tunnel that runs under the lake, though it has not been used in decades, I don't know if the tunnel is still intact."

Elissa became aware of the sound of heavy armoured footsteps coming towards them, she turned to look in the direction of the sound seeing a strange group of people walking down the middle of the Chantry, led by the young man Tomas.

She could see two Elven woman, a short one with short white hair that stopped at the top of her collar bone, she worn a long purple robe and was carrying a large staff on her back, the other elf was a few inches taller, her red hair tied back away from her face, showing a large silver tattoos that spread across her forehead and reached the bottom of her eyes. She was wearing a type of armour she had never seen before a armoured leather chest piece and skirt that showed off her midriff.

Beside them stood a tall blonde haired man, his armour made his footsteps echo as they walked towards them. He had a slight shadow where the beginnings of stubble were showing on his face.

"Who is this Tomas?" Murdock asked at the reached the group.

The red haired Elven woman stepped past Tomas before speaking, "We are the Grey Warden."

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**HO! IT'S THE GREY WARDENS! :O that means our groups have finally met! someone mentioned about the change in the time table and I thought I should explain: Elissa, Kallain and Rauri arrived a day earlier than your original character would have in the games. I wanted to do this because of a few reason, 1. it seemed to make sense when i was writing it that Elissa would go to Redcliffe 2. Our groups would be forced to fight alongside on another, help pave the way for them to join and help fight the blight and 3. it alway seemed ridiculous idea that a small village with hardly any defense would be able to keep numberless zombies from destroying the village for three days.**


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